Total Drama: Legends vs Nobodies
by agreenparrot
Summary: Chris McClean brings together some renown teens to face off against some fame hungry applicants. Unfortunately for all of them, the game takes place on Spooky Island which is said to be haunted. Some unpleasant surprises await our teams while they compete to be the last camper standing.
1. Too Spooky!

Fog billowed over the dark water of a secluded lake. The sky was filled with angry clouds that stormed with rain. The occasional strike of lightning would illuminate the lake, and yet it was impossible to see any deeper into the abyss. In the center of the lake was an island, covered in pine trees that also seemed to consume light itself, leaving it looking like a looming shadow. An inlet led to a small wooden dock with several missing pieces; it rocked in the wind, as if it might shatter at any second. Underneath the trees stood a cabin, of similar build that also looked like it was ready to collapse. The wood held together, but seemed to slant inwards, as if they entire house was just preparing to implode. The front door had once been painted white, but now all that remained were a few peeling patches among the rough wood. It swung open, presenting a man grinning ear to ear. He had perfectly brushed black hair, a navy blue shirt and olive cargo pants.

"Welcome, one and all!" he greeted, followed by a roar of thunder." Oh come in, come in, let's get you out of that storm."

The interior was somewhat bigger than it would appear from the diminished outside glance. In the center of the room was a large sturdy table covered in papers. Two large green armchairs faced a smoldering fire in a brick fireplace. Along the far wall was a small kitchen, mostly just dirty counters and a small sputtering wood stove. Working at one of the counters was a large man with a white chef's hat and apron, and a yellow shirt. He kept a stern look on his face as he aggressively stirred a pot.

"How's the grub coming, Chef!?" the other man asked.

"It is what it is," Chef grunted, "Not much to be done with stinging nettle and fish bones."

"And that's what I pay you for!" the man replied. "Making a delicacy out of anything."

"Sure, Chris, whatever you say," the cook remarked as he dropped a flaky green glob on a plate.

"When are your manners, Chef? Aren't you going to say hello to our lovely viewers!?" Chris asked teasingly.

Chef glared directly at the camera before returning to his work.

"Isn't he a treasure?" Chris laughed as he returned his focus to the audience. "Anyways, I'm Chris McClean, and the big guy is Chef Hatchet. We're here to bring you another exciting season of...Total Drama! The show where we pit teams of emotionally unstable teens against one another in a competition for one million dollars! We've had to do a bit of relocating, the budget isn't what it used to be, but turns out they were renting out this place on Spooky Island for dirt cheap. Apparently all because the island is supposedly haunted. Can you believe that, Chef!?"

"Hey I don't got any beef with those vengeful spirits, so long as they leave me alone," Chef huffed.

"Vengeful spirits? Yeah right!" Chris laughed.

"Then what's that?" Chef remarked as he pointed to some of the papers on the table seemingly shuffling on their own.

"This place is draftier a subway car, it's just the wind," Chris said as he walked up to the window. "Now, our guests will be arriving any se-"

As lightning cracked again, it lit up the outside revealing a ghastly bloody face in the window.

"AAAAAAAAAAAH!" Chris screamed as he leapt up to the rafters in the ceiling.

"What''s a matter with you? The wind's too frightening?" Chef asked.

"No...no, it was just..I think there's a possum or something out there," Chris remarked nervously as he came back down.

"Sure," Chef remarked.

"Well it's gone now, obviously!" Chris said, trying to regain his composure. "As I was saying, our contestants should be arriving soon and we've got a special theme for this season: Legends vs Nobodies! We've recruited ten 'Legends,' ten players who have already managed to make a name for themselves in one way or another in the world. And they'll be competing against ten 'Nobodies,' the desperate fame hungry applicants who will be anything to become a somebody. It's sure to be an exciting adventure!"

A low horn sounded through the thick clouds of fog.

"Oh that would be them now!" Chris said as he opened the door again and stepped out onto the rattling dock.

A small boat weakly progressed along the turbulent water before coming to a shaky halt at the dock.

"First off let's meet our Legends!" Chris exclaimed. "This location is actually fitting for our first contestant, and if there are any nasty spirits out there she'll keep us safe. Her name is Michelle and she prides herself on being a warrior against the supernatural forces of the world. Welcome!"

A girl stepped out from the boat and onto the dock. She had auburn hair done up in a pair of pigtails. She wore a small brown top, marked with a purple crescent, that left her arms and midriff exposed. She wore light khaki pants, tied up with a thick brown belt that had a sack attached, along with some dangling charms. Perhaps most notably though was the thin saber she held in her hands. She immediately pointed her sword at Chris menacingly.

"Beware, demon!" she threatened.

"Whoa, whoa, I'm no demon, just your every ordinary host, Chris McClean!" Chris assured.

Michelle reached into her sack and pulled out a handful of dust to throw over Chris and Chef.

"Hm...you're telling the truth," she stated. "But you can never be too sure. Demons can take human vessels, and the worst part is you might not even know until it's too late."

"Eerr...right," Chris said uncertainly as he glanced at Chef. "Anyways, up next we've got someone else to help keep us safe-"

"Wrong," Michelle interjected. "There is no one else like me. No one else believes. They think that their guns and science will keep them safe, but you're wrong!"

Chris just scowled at being interrupted and continued, "We have here someone who works to disprove any so called 'unexplained mysteries,' She has already exposed numerous frauds including but not limited to, haunted houses, demonic possession, unicorn sightings, and 2012. Please welcome, Ada!"

Ada had short red hair and a set of square glasses resting on a stern face. She wore a brown button up business suit over a green shirt and red tie. Michelle immediately pointed a sword in her face.

"Oh, would you look who it is," Ada remarked dryly.

"You sicken me!" Michelle hissed. "You do the Devil's work, convincing foolish humans that He and his minions don't exist! You are the reason no one will be prepared for when Hell rises to claim this earth!"

"And here you are spouting nonsense and inciting pandemonium as usual," Ada sniffed snidely. "Your little fairytales can't hurt anyone, but if you get people riled up then they're sure to do some damage of their own."

"You two know each other?" Chris asked.

"We've...crossed paths," Michelle remarked.

"You could say that," Ada remarked. "Never have I met anyone so immune to science and logic, no matter how hard I've tried."

"I know what I know, and you will never change that!" Michelle spat. "Science is just a comforter to make you all feel safe and secure. Someone needs to be ready to see the true threat though!"

"Heh, I love it," Chris chuckled to Chef before preparing to announce the next contestant, "This guy loves to make laughs, he's spent his days trying to spread cheer, balloons, and some pretty terrible puns, give it up for Jeffrey The Clown!"

Sure enough, a clown walked off the boat next, his giant red shoes flopping with each step. He wore a big purple top hat over brilliant fuzzy red hair. His face was painted white, aside from his bright red lips and bulbous nose. His shirt was red with pink stripes, and he wore baggy blue overalls covered in green spots.

"Heeeey, all you cwazy kids!" he exclaimed as he released several balloons into the air.

"DIE DEMON!" Michelle exclaimed as she lunged, only to be restrained by Ada.

"Well," Jeffrey remarked as her sword just stopped short of his nose, "that's one way to...make a point! Oooh hahahah HAHAH HA HA HEE HEE HEE HEE! Get it!? Make a point!? Because..."

The clown tapped the tip of her sword with his gloved hand.

"It's POINTY!" he concluded. "AYIIIEE HEE HEE HO HO HO HAH HYUCK HYUCK HYUCK!"

"Hmph," Michelle huffed as she tossed some dust onto the clown as well.

"Hey, I think your glitter has expired, it's lost all of its color!" Jeffrey guffawed. "But don't worry, I've got some of my own, sharing is caring! Eeeehehehehe HEH HEH HEH HAH HA HA AHAHA HAHA!"

The clown unleashed a heavy coating of sparkling confetti over the two girls.

"Try that again and I don't hold her back next time," Ada remarked.

"Hey, you guys want someone really evil, I think this next one is for you," Chris said, "He's a member of an organization dedicated purely to committing acts of evil. From dognapping all the way to world domination! Presenting..Marky!"

A small boy walked off the boat. He had shaggy black hair with a white striped dyed right along the middle. He wore a light blue shirt with indigo stripes, and golden short.

"Hiya," he greeted.

"Why don't you share a little bit about all the evil deeds you've done in your life!" Chris exclaimed.

"Well uh...technically I'm still just an 'underling,'" Marky admitted. "So my evil privileges are actually a bit limited...to none."

"I see...well no time like the present to get started!" Chris exclaimed as he tossed Marky towards the rest of the arrived players. "Up next, a woman who needs no introduction but I'll introduce her anyways! She's been starring in films nearly since she was born and yet has found time to grace us with her presence. Give it up for Mimi Evertide!"

A thin girl stepped off the boat. She had short light brown hair that was dyed cerulean in certain patches. She wore a tiny grey top that covered barely anything, but had a pink jacket draped over top. She had on a navy skirt with a green stripe, and a pair of high heel shoes.

"Hello there," she greeted.

"Those shoes are totally impractical," Michelle scoffed. "Why would you come to an haunted island dressed so frivolously? When you need to flee, you're going to be at quite the disadvantage."

"Hey! That's a pretty goooood question!" Jeffrey said in an overexaggerated tone. "Maybe you should send it to the directors of all those Horror Films though!? HAAAAAAAAA Heeeeeeee hihihih eyeyeyeeye YOHOHOHO! GET IT!? Because because...BECAUSE!"

Jeffrey sobbed with uncontrollable laughter as he obnoxiously slapped Marky on the back.

"BECAUSE every time there's always that one girl trying to run in heels. EVERY SINGLE TIME! AAAAAIIIIIIEEEE! I mean, haven't these people got a clue yet!? It's 2017 right!? YAAAAA HA HAR HAR HAR HO HO HO!" Jeffrey finished.

"Well, I will have you know that my character has survived to the end of every slasher film I've been in," Mimi stated. "It's in my contract after all. And this will be no different."

"No offense but...this isn't a movie," Marky pointed out.

"Maybe not to you, but I treat every role I take as if it were reality to help convey the needed believable emotions, so by that logic this shouldn't be any different for me," Mimi replied.

"Hmm...okay?" Marky said unconvinced.

"Miss Evertide, Miss Evertide!" someone exclaimed from the boat.

A lanky boy rushed off and onto the dock. He had curly orange hair, glasses, and freckles over his face. He wore a green shirt with a red lightning bolt on it, along with a pair of blue jeans. As soon as he reached Mimi's side, he began to brush her hair and touch up her makeup.

"This rain is really killer, but don't worry I'll find a way to make sure you still look your best at all times," the boy exclaimed shakily.

"Thank you, Adrian, but remember 'best but distressed' we are still doing a survival theme here, so let's not look too perfect," Mimi replied.

"Uh...you can't be here," Chris stated.

"Oh no, Chris, not to worry this is my assistant, Adrian," Mimi stated.

"Great...he still can't be here," Chris said. "Contestants only! We can't have people leaking info back before we air!"

"Well you see, here's the thing," Mimi stated, "I actually had my agent call up and...adjust your cast. I can't expect to be here without my trusted assistant. So after discussion with your production team, it was decided that he would join in lieu of some wealthy Baron's child who probably already has more than enough money."

"You got rid of Baron Ludvig!?" Chris snapped. "I was really looking forward to him. But fine, say hi to Adrian everyone."

"Hello," Adrian greeted the group.

"Up next!" Chris said, "A hero if there ever was one! This guy has already made the news several times, rescuing cats from trees, old folks from a fire, even stopping a mugging, at all without ever asking for pay or thanks...give it up for Marlon!"

The boy that stepped off next was dressed entirely in red, as if he were in uniform. From top to bottom he matched in a tight brilliant red suit, marked with white stripes and triangles along the sleeves. He wore a full face helmet, of the same color, and with a large visor that obscured his face.

"Fear not, help has arrived!" he announced.

"There will always be fear, to claim otherwise is farce," Michelle scoffed. "And only fools would think to adorn themselves with such mortal armor when it won't do a thing to protect you from spirits."

"Yes, only fools," Ada remarked sarcastically.

"Is this better?" Marlon said as he took off his helmet, revealing himself to be a small Asian boy with fluffy black hair. "I just want to help where I can!"

"You can help yourself by staying out of danger!" Michelle said.

"Oh I know, you can save Adrian," Marky suggested.

"Save me from what...?" Adrian asked uncertainly.

Marky then shoved him into the water.

"Fear not, help is on the way!" Marlon said as he dived into the water.

"Adrian!" Mimi gasped as she leaned over the edge of the dock.

She then turned around and clutched Marky by the shoulders angrily.

"Why did you do that!?" she snapped.

"Evil?" Marky offered.

"Well I got that much, but you couldn't have picked someone else? I can't go on without my assistant!" Mimi said.

"To tell you the truth, he was the only one who looked like he wasn't strong enough to overpower me," Marky confessed.

"Our next contestant may not have gotten fame in the traditional sense, but she made the news nonetheless," Chris said, "She's spent nearly her entire life locked in an attic and has had next to no social interaction. She was discovered recently, and now she's on our show! Has she learned enough to adapt!? Let's hope not! It's Grace!"

Grace was an Asian girl with smooth golden blonde hair. She wore a thin long sleeved black shirt and white pants. She stepped onto the dock cautiously and without saying a word. Her eyes seemed to dart uneasily between each member standing on the dock. Mimi decided to walk up to her and extend a hand.

"Hello, dear, my name is Mimi," she greeted.

"Hello, Mimi," Grace said in an uncanny robotically recited tone, "My name is Grace. It is nice to meet you. How are you?"

Grace took Mimi's hand and shook in a rhythmic motion.

"Uh, well I'm good," Mimi said uncertainly.

Grace maintained her plastered expression, still moving her hand up and down. She seemed strained to think of what to say next and instead just let out a whimpering breath while letting her eyes dart again.

"You can uh...let go of my hand now," Mimi said.

Grace complied, loosening her grip and then gradually bringing her hand back down to her side.

"And up next we have Billy-" Chris began.

"HELLO!" the next contestant exclaimed as they barreled off the boat, right past Mimi and Grace.

Billy was a large boy with shaggy black hair and beard. He was dressed in a large white frilly wedding dress, complete with a flowered veil.

"Guys, I can explain, it's not what you think!" he announced. "I am...the Master of all Disguises! Sure, you may laugh now, but just wait till I get in character, I will be the dainty bride without a shadow of a doubt!"

Billy twirled around awkwardly and not without some difficulty in getting his dress to turn with him.

"Oh goodness me," he said now in a scratchy falsetto voice. "I'm so...dizzy...oh dear."

Billy clumsily stumbled over the edge of the dock and into the water.

"Hey guys, some help!" he called out in his normal voice as he struggled to stay afloat.

"Sure, I'll give you a hand!" Jeffrey said as he reached out to Billy.

Billy grabbed his glove, only to have it pop right off.

"HA! I gave him a hand! HA HA HEE HEE HYECK HYECK HEEEEEH! I literally...HHOHOHOHHOHOHO..GAVE HIM MY HAND!" Jeffrey bellowed as Billy sank into the water.

"And last but certainly not least, we've got a renown DJ...Sonica!" Chris exclaimed.

A dark skinned girl with jet black hair done up in a long tight ponytail stepped off the boat. She wore large sunglasses, a grey and gold floral dress, and massive grey boots.

"Sup," she greeted curtly.

Suddenly Adrian was tossed back up onto the dock, followed by Marlon climbing up after him.

"Here's your assistant!" he announced.

"Thank you...did you see the other guy?" Mimi asked.

'There's another one?" Marlon sighed before diving back into the water.

"You guys are our Legends!" Chris announced. "Or should I say, nine legends and one assistant. Go take a second to say hello to our audiences while we wait for the next team to arrive!"

 **Confessional:**

 **Michelle-** Many people will laugh at me, or say I'm crazy. They don't believe in demons, ghosts and the powers of evil. And if you don't believe then you won't be able to see them, it's how the cycle works. I believe though, and not only that, but I accept my duty to fight monsters wherever I go. This may be just a game to some, but I can see just how deadly things can turn if I'm not here to keep these fools safe!

 **Ada-** I know it's easy to react with fear when faced with something we don't understand, but everything has a logical explanation. Everything. We just need someone to be unafraid to uncover these truths so that we can leave mysteries to rest. We didn't get this far by living in fear, we asked the right questions!

 **Jeffrey-** I just want to stand out. There's a lot of people in the world, some you may never remember, but clowns? That's a much shorter supply so I just hope to brighten up someone's day! Ooohohohoh HAHAHAHA!

 **Marky-** This is a pretty big deal for me. I usually only get to hear about all the evil endeavors, but now I have a chance to prove that I'm capable of causing trouble all on my own. The uh...only issue is I'm not too sure how to do that. I guess I'll have to figure it out as I go.

 **Mimi-** I know that celebrities have gone on this show before, but I don't consider myself to be some silver spoon spoiled narcissist just here for the publicity. I almost always play a 'ordinary girl' in my films, so therefore while I accept the title of Legend, I'm just like anyone else.

 **Adrian-** It's a good thing Miss Evertide asked me to join her. This island doesn't have any clear signs so someone's going to need to tell her where to go. One time she decided she was fine to go get coffee from the place down the street all by herself. It took two weeks for us to find her wandering in the tundra!

 **Marlon-** The world needs people willing to do good! Everyone's out for themselves nowadays, but not me! I will face any challenge for anyone just so long as I can know that they're sleeping easy that night!

 **Grace-** It is a good thing that I read a book on proper human communication, or that introduction might have been awkward.

 **Billy-** Haha, guys I've got so many different costumes to try out! These people will have a hard time even telling which one is the real me! Just you wait and see, it'll be epic!

 **Sonica-** Make no mistake, anyone can put music out into the world now. A lot of it is pure crap. I'm a success not because of luck, but because I have a sense of style. It's gotten me this far, and I intend to keep trusting it. I won't associate with any pigs that are going to cramp my style!

"Now then!" Chris announced. "It's time to meet our Nobodies, they may be coming in as regular kids, but maybe some of them will leave as Legends!"

The boat returned to the dock.

"Presenting...Chloe!" Chris announced.

Chloe was a tall, thin girl with long strands of right blonde hair. She wore a grey toque and a jogging jacket with mauve sleeves and blue pattern along the sides. She seemed to just beam with energy as she ran over to hug the host.

"Oh my gosh, CHRIS!" she exclaimed. "I am so excited to be here, thank you so much for having me!"

"Uh, we're happy to have you too, Chloe," Chris said as he pried her off of him.

"Wow, I just love this new setting, love, love, love it!" Chloe said as she eagerly looked all around her. "I mean don't get me wrong I thought all the past settings were pretty impressive, but this one it's just...it definitely adds a layer of suspense, and you know what..I am ready for it! Bring it on! Woohoo! Hey...where's my team? Oh my god! Am I the first one to arrive for my team!? This has got to be a sign of some sort!"

"We'll see about that," Chris said, "but in the meantime here's...Zach!"

A boy rolled off the boat and pulled out a camera, which he used to snap a sudden photo of Chris. The boy had greasy brown hair that ran down in thick stands. He had a small gray jacket with metal pads on top of a crimson shirt and olive pants.

"Hey, hey, a little birdie told me I might find Mimi Evertide out here!" Zach exclaimed. "Where is she? Smile for the camera!"

"Ugh, paparazzi," Chris said with a roll of his eyes, "Are you sure you're not here for me?"

"Nope, you're old news, old man," Zach replied.

Chris frowned angrily.

"Chef, please remove this intruder," Chris ordered.

"Not so fast!" Zach said with a large smirk. "I'm a contestant just like any other. You said Zach, right? That's me! Just doing a little extra credit work while I'm here."

"I'm starting to regret ever asking Miss Evertide to play," Chris remarked under his breath to Chef. "Anyways, up next, presenting...Sybil!"

Purple smoke rolled out of the boat, creating a dusty cloud as a figure emerged. She seemed to be coughing violently from the smoke. The girl wore a purple polka dotted bandanna over a bountiful head of springy black hair. She wore a brown necklace and a long yellow scarf that draped around her beige top. Her belt was tied with bells and kept up a pair of baggy golden pants. Her shoes were pointed and also had bells attached.

"That's right!" she announced in an incredibly deep gravelly voice. "It's-"

She broke out into another fit of coughing, leaning over and hacking. Zach and Chloe both glanced at each other in concern.

"Jesus Christ, what the hell did I put in that stuff?" she groaned. "Uh I mean..."

The girl tried to take a more regal stance and tone as she declared majestically, "I have arrived...okay you know what I think I'm gonna quit while I'm ahead and just leave it at that."

"Right then, let's move on ahead!" Chris continued. "Let's all welcome Seth!"

The small boy stepped off the boat and walked very slowly, in a swaying motion. He had dusty brown hair the was tied in a single string-like braid, drooping down his back and bobbling with each step. He wore a large colorful sweater that swirled between red green and blue. His pants were light yellow and hemmed with beads. He wore no shoes, just bare feet. Every part of his clothes seemed to be covered in mud.

"Looks like someone needs to learn about the miracle of laundry," Zach remarked.

Seth dropped down to lean over and face the water. He dipped his hand into the lake.

"I'd like to take a second to commune with the waters," he stated calmly.

"That sounds so cool!" Chloe squealed.

Sybil just narrowed her eyes at Seth.

"The waters...are agitated," Seth stated. "They have been upset by the negative energy."

"That might have something to do with the bozos who got chucked in there," Chef remarked under his breath.

"Let's all take a minute to channel some positive vibes so that the waters may soothe," Seth stated as he clutched Chloe and Zach's hands.

Chloe gripped the boy's hand eagerly with a smile on her face as she shut her eyes and concentrated. Zach pulled his hand away immediately.

"Yes, let's do that but let's also move along!" Chris said. "Presenting...Emily!"

A girl with frizzy brown hair and a broad beaming smile stepped off the boat. She had a bright blue bow in her hair, and a matching dress with a robin egg blue ribbon tied around her waist.

"Hi guys!" she greeted while waving her hand wildly. "I am SO excited to meet you all!"

"Same!" Chloe greeted.

The two laced hands and squealed at each other.

"Ugh make it stop," Zach groaned.

"I agree, let's not go overboard," Emily said, before whispering to Chloe, "We'll be secret BFFs, that's even better."

"May the winds look fondly upon you," Seth stated.

"I love...the environment," Emily said with heavy seriousness as she put both hands on either one of Seth's shoulders.

"And now here we have our next contestant hoping for their shot at the million dollars," Chris announced, "Terra!"

"You know damn well that I'm not here for your dirty money!" a girl said as she got off the boat.

The girl had black hair puffy hair done up in a ponytail. She wore a green jacket over a silver top and khaki shorts.

"The fact that you're just handing out money to stupid kids for competing in your stupidly dangerous show so that you can broadcast it to sate millions of mindless viewers, is sickening!" Terra spat. "Poverty is still running rampant, there are countries in the world where kids don't know when their next meal will be, and yet of COURSE what we need is some high school dropout who thinks it's cool to lie and betray getting the money so they can add more opulent levels of extravagance to their already privileged lives!"

"Well uh...you might be on the wrong show if that's how you really feel," Zach remarked.

"I'm not here for the money, I'm here to get a message across, to have my voice heard!" Terra announced. "Our population has been sucked dry by the cruel vampire that is the Media, and while my rallies may have gone unnoticed for years, now I'm on TV and you have no choice but to hear me out!"

"I completely agree," Emily said as she clutched Terra by the hand. "I think that we're all so shallow and like materialistic and I think it's so sad. And before you say anything, I completely admit that is me to a T, but you know what, thanks to you, I have seen the light. Just consider me woke!"

"Please stop trying so hard," Terra replied.

"Oh yeah, for sure," Emily said, "Trying too hard is like...whatever...RIGHT!?"

"Okay everyone, hands together for...Bailey!" Chris exclaimed.

A large boy with bushy orange hair tied up in a scrunched ponytail stepped onto the dock. He had wide blue eyes and a bit of orange fuzz around his face. He wore a green shirt that was a little too small for him and had a yellow creature symbol on its front.

"Hi guys!" he greeted. "Um Chris, would it be alright if I introduced my friends as well?"

"Your friends?" Chris asked in confusion.

The boy pulled out a plush blue pony, a body pillow with a cartoon female painted on, and a small electronic device.

"This is Gentle Spring, Princess Kokomo, and the most loyal companion a guy could ask for, my dog Rojo!" Bailey announced as he pointed to each of the objects.

The other teammates all seemed to struggle to come up with an appropriate reaction.

Eventually Seth remarked, "I am glad to be in the company of so many friendly souls."

"Aw gee thanks," Bailey remarked before picking up his pony plush and holding it to his ear. "Gentle Spring really appreciates that and says if you ever want a ride, you just have to ask."

"Well you know, I had a Barbie when I was a kid," Emily added. "Maybe one day she could be friends with your friends!"

"That's nice..." Bailey said, seemingly unconvinced.

"And up next we have...Rory!" Chris announced.

No one exited from the boat,

"I said, it's time for Rory!" Chris repeated with emphasis.

"D-do I have to c-come out," stammered a meek voice. "Something b-bad is just gonna happen and people will laugh at m-me."

"Chef, bring him out!" Chris ordered.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming!" the boy whimpered.

He was a small boy with messy black hair and a face that looked ready to burst into tears at any second. He had a blue sweater on and yellow-green pants. He scampered out onto the dock nervously and instantly tripped, falling flat on his face.

"I knew this would happen," he bemoaned.

"Oh my, are you okay!?" Chloe asked as she ran over to help him up.

"It's fine, this always happens," Rory sighed. "It could have been worse...but I won't think about that, cause that will just make it happen."

"What's that?" Bailey remarked as he talked to his pillow. "Princess Kokomo says that she thinks you're very brave and so long as you keep facing adversity with courage, it will disappear soon enough."

"Thanks for the advice," Rory sighed. "Hasn't happened yet though."

"Princess Kokomo is very wise, I would put faith in her advice," Bailey said.

"I guess I've gotten to the point of my life where taking advice from a throw pillow is the next logical step," Rory sighed.

"Alright everyone say hello to Gloria!" Chris announced.

A girl with frizzy blonde hair and a lot of makeup over her face stepped off the boat. She wore a gold and pink outfit with no sleeve and a heart in the middle, along with a tiny pink miniskirt.

"Hey there, all you cute boys," she remarked with a wave.

"She must be talking about you," Rory said to Bailey.

"Oh gosh, really?" Bailey said as he blushed.

"Ha, yeah right!" Sybil scoffed before breaking out into another fit of coughing "Oop so much for that. Anyone got a lozenge?"

"Have you tried lacing your gums with fresh mud?" Seth suggested. "It is a gift from the earth, the full potential for new beginnings."

"Can you believe I never thought of that?" Sybil said sarcastically.

"And our last Nobody...Darren!" Chris announced.

A dark skinned boy with black dreadlocks stepped off of the boat. He had a red muscle shirt with a skull and crossbones on it, and some blue jeans. He was covered in many different colors of paint. He twirled a spray can in his hands. Rather than say hello, he painted what appeared to be a fist symbol on the side of the boat.

"Oh wow, I love vandalism!" Emily exclaimed. "I really love how it sends a message to the authority! And that message is that we don't respect authority! Yeah I really don't do good with authority figures. Like this one time, my dad wouldn't drive me to the mall so I slashed his tires! Okay well actually I didn't do the slashing myself exactly, but a few weeks later he got a flat tire on the way home from work, and I didn't feel bad about it. Even though he's my dad. Yeah rebelling is just who I am, you know?"

"Okay," Darren said to her.

"Alright, you ten can take a second to introduce yourselves and then we'll move on to the first twist of this game!" Chris announced.

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** I am just passionate about...everything I do! I mean, I never take something on unless I'm ready to give it every ounce of my being! I decided that I am going to go on Total Drama and I am saying right now that I am winning this season! See? See! If I wasn't winning then this would just look really silly in hindsight, but I am so confident that I am willing to make that announcement without a shred of doubt!

 **Zach-** Win or lose I know I'm getting a good score out of this. Miss Evertide may like to come off as perfect, but let's see if I can get some snaps of the shots she doesn't want you to see!

 **Sybil-** Okay so to tell you the truth, I bought this getup at a pawn shop, and a couple cheap magic tricks. But hey, these idiots love their curses and mystics so I'll just put on a show, we already got this spooky kooky feel going on with the setting, I'm sure I can make it work that they'll never dare vote me off.

 **Seth-** This island has been unsettled. Something unnatural rests within. I wish to help, yet I fear to meet what perversion awaits inside. A terrifyingly tempting conundrum.

 **Emily-** My plan here is to be best friends with everyone! I mean sure, you could be friends with some people, but that's not how you win. Every single person have to like you, and then they'll never vote you out! So if I can figure out how to come off as appealing to every person in the game then I can't possibly lose!

 **Terra-** There are so many evils in the world, and yet they go completely unnoticed! Well I am a warrior to expose the truths and make a difference, I'm not just here to sit by and watch the world I love go up in flames. You think I'm just messing around, don't you? Well to prove I'm serious I put a bomb on the ship (explosion in the distance) ...believe me now? I am fine with being considered a Nobody since it's not the individual that matters, it's the message!

 **Bailey-** Well uh, it was actually Princess Kokomo's idea for me to apply. See we've got a good thing going, but she was getting a little bit bored with the same friends. Most people tend to avoid us, but as a Knight of Kokomo's table, I need to be brave and face the dragons head on. By which I mean, I need to get out there and meet some incredible people!

 **Rory-** I have the worst luck ever. I've given up hoping for anything other than for each day to be as painless as possible. I didn't even apply for this show, I just put my name in for a raffle to win 50 dollars off at the Movie Theater...somehow that got mixed up in the mail, and well here I am.

 **Gloria-** Boys are so easy, especially the ugly ones, teehee. I'll just turn up the sugar and they'll melt in no time.

 **Darren-** I consider myself an artist, not a vandal. The world is my canvas. Who says we can't spread a little beauty wherever we see the need. There's so much pain going on, a little bit of color here and there couldn't hurt to brighten things up.

Chris and Chef had brought the two teams back together.

"Alright take a look around!" Chris said. "Nobodies, bow in awe of the Legends. Legends...these are the Nobodies! These will be your teams for the start of the game...with one little twist.."

Lighting crackled followed by ominous thunder.

"You'll both be voting someone off, right now!" Chris exclaimed.

"We're what now?" Sybil said with concern.

"Chef, the parchments if you will," Chris ordered before Chef handed everyone a rectangular parchment and pencil. "Each of you are going to cast a vote right now, no discussion, just first impressions. Legends, is there someone on your team who doesn't belong? Nobodies, has a certain somebody already caught your eye, and not in a good way!? The player on each team to receive the most votes will be swapped before we move on."

The twenty contestants glanced around and started to write down their names.

"Okay, let's start with the Legends!" Chris exclaimed. "You may now reveal your votes!"

Everyone turned their parchments around. Every one read some variation of Jeffrey, Clown, or Bozo the Clown. Other than Jeffrey who voted for Adrian.

"Well we've got a pretty clear majority here," Chris noted. "Jeffrey, looks like you're heading to Nobodies!"

"That's okay!" Jeffrey said as he waved goodbye to the Legends. "I'll see you all real soon...in your dreeeAAAAAAaaams! Oooohohohoh HOHOHOHOHOOOOO HOOO HOOO HAAA!"

"Nobodies reveal!" Chris said.

This tally was much more scattered.

"Let's see here," Chris said as he took a look at the votes. "Zach has voted for Seth, Bailey has voted for Darren, Chloe has voted for Rory with the message 'so sorry about this.' I'm sure she is, but that vote still counts! One vote for each of them!"

"Really, so sorry, I just picked at random!" Chloe insisted.

"It's okay, random luck has never done me much good before," Rory sighed.

"Next up, Sybil has voted for Seth," Chris continued, "Terra is voting for Emily, prefacing her vote with 'the fake bitch.'"

"Hey!" Emily snapped. "That is...so funny, haha good one!"

"And Emily has voted for...herself," Chris said.

"I just couldn't bring myself to vote for any of my friends!" Emily sobbed.

'That brings us to two votes Seth, two votes Emily, one Rory, one Darren," Chris said. "Up next...Rory has...a bunch of crossed out names and scribbles. Yeah that's gonna count as a self vote. Seth has voted for Darren, which brings us to two-two-two-two. Gloria voted for 'the ugly hag' I'll take that to mean Sybil?"

"Uuuh...wrong," Sybil coughed.

"No it's quite right, but any ugly hag leaving would suffice," Gloria replied.

"And the last vote," Chris said, "is from Darren which reads 'sorry I don't even know anyone here. The hippy guy I guess?' which I will take to mean Seth! That means that Seth has been voted out in a three-two-two-two-one vote!"

"It is as it is meant to be, I accept my plan," Seth stated as he stepped over to the other team.

"Alright, with that out of the way it's time to send both of you off into the deep dangerous woods you see before you!" Chris announced. "Chef will hand you a map, different for each team, but will both lead you to your own cabin. Be careful though, as these woods are...haunted, ooooh!"

"No they are not," Ada stated abruptly. "We do not accept rumor and myths as fact in the scientific field. If you have any proof then I'd certainly love to see if, but of course you do not because there is no such thing as ghosts or the supernatural!"

"Well, believe what you like," Chris said, "I'm just giving you fair warning, you may want to get to your cabins before midnight."

"That's a good enough reason for me," Rory said.

"Agreed, let's move!" Zach added.

"They're not the only ones who can get a move on!" Marlon said. "Stick close together team and we'll keep each other safe!"

"More like stay out of my way and I'll keep you all safe," Michelle retorted.

The two teams headed off in separate directions, journeying into the dark woods.

"So uh Chris...what happens at midnight?" Chef asked nervously.

"Oh nothing, I just wanted to give them a little suspense to keep them going," Chris replied.

 **Confessional:**

 **Billy-** Oh man I'm so glad we got rid of that clown first! He was creeeepy and I'm pretty sure he's actually evil!

 **Marky-** Jeffrey was just plain annoying, I can't imagine having to put up with that laugh for another day, let alone the rest of the game. I hope they vote him off first, heh.

 **Sybil-** Thank god we ditched Mr. Hippie Dippie Mojo, if I'm gonna pull off this shtick I don't need someone with actual freaky deaky powers to make me look bad!

 **Chloe-** Not going to lie, I'm a bit disappointed to see my team so divided right at the start. No, I did not pick randomly, I just didn't want to come off as rude. The truth is, Rory was clearly the weakest link and the only smart choice to make there would be to send him on over to the other team. (sighs) I guess I'll probably be having to help this team keep it together.

(Legends)

The group trekked through the eerie woods. Branches and vines seemed to reach out to grab them from all sides. The wind rushed like a low breath with each step they took. Michelle marched forward with her saber raised. Marlon jogged to keep up with her.

"Hey there!" he greeted.

"Mm," Michelle replied.

"So, I was just noticing the two of us both seem to be the take charge types," Marlon stated. "And of course we want to keep everyone safe. I think we could really do some good to join forces and protect everyone here."

"I told you before, you can't be of any use to me with your mortal views," Michelle replied. "You don't even believe in the threat I face, how could I ever depend on you?"

"Hey, hey, if there's something big and scary out there then I am ready to take it on!" Marlon argued.

"No, you are not, and I say this for your own well-being," Michelle replied. "Leave it to me, if you want someone to be your friend, focus on the others."

A short distance behind the group, Marky clambered over some large roots. Sonica came up behind him, but seemed to struggle with keeping her balance. Marky offered his hand, but she ignored it and got herself down without his help.

"Soo...Sonica, right?" Marky asked.

Sonica ignored him and increased her pace, just slightly, to move past him.

"Yeah, these woods are giving me chills too," Marky remarked.

Still no reply. Marky looked ahead to Marlon jogging to keep up with Michelle while the two argued.

"What do you think they're talking about?" he asked. "No one would really be so quick to talk about strategy so soon, right? Or would they?"

"I'll say this once and trust you never speak to me again," Sonica said as she tilted her head to glare at Marky. "I have very keen ears, and they are tuned to filter out filth. You reek of filth. Please stop perverting my space."

"Oh..." Marky said as Sonica kept walking. "Well...you're rude. Just saying!"

Further back, Mimi was taking her leisure, stopping frequently to examine her surroundings.

"Hmm, these are some lovely trees," she noted. "Adrian, what sort of emotion would you say ought to be conveyed here?"

"Given the circumstances and tone of the setting, I would suggest mild fear," Adrian replied.

"How's this?" Mimi asked as she shifted her face to show a concerned look.

"I'd believe it!" Adrian exclaimed.

"You two really should keep up," Ada called back to the two. "We don't want to get left behind out here."

"Hey, it's all good, right!?" Adrian said. "You told us there was nothing to worry about!"

"No, I said we didn't have to worry about ghosts and ghouls and all that nonsense," Ada replied. "There's still very real evidence to believe that this island could be home to cougars, bears, and various other predators."

"Oh..." Adrian said suddenly going pale as he heard a low growling from the shadows. "Miss Evertide, let's up that fear to frightened worry and pick up the pace in a 'I'm not running away, but I'd rather not be here' motion!"

"I know just what you mean!" Mimi replied before stumbling over her heels and hitting the mud.

"Was that intentional?" Ada asked.

"With her it's really hard to tell," Adrian replied.

Bringing up the rear, Seth and Grace were taking their time walking.

"Hello Seth it is a pleasure to meet you and also your clothes are very dirty which is noteworthy in a non-confrontational sense," Grace recited without ever pausing for breath.

"I like to feel close to nature," Seth replied calmly. "We all came from earth, why should we be so adverse to it?"

"Your tone implies a rhetorical question and thus I will refrain from answering though there are various possible responses," Grace stated. "That is very interesting Seth I am glad that you feel that way."

"Thank you," Seth replied.

Billy had left the group and instead leapt into the bushes.

"This seems like the perfect chance for a costume change!" he exclaimed. "Forget the beautiful bride, it's time to bring out the dauntless explorer!"

Billy struggled getting off his dress and ended up stumbling backwards.

"The branches are really digging in," he explained to no one. "Let's just take this easy..."

More shuffling withing the brambles.

"Oop that didn't do any good...and oh dear, I think I'm stuck now, maybe...yep definitely stuck," Billy lamented.

 **Confessional:**

 **Marlon-** I want to work with Michelle, not necessarily just strategically, but just in general I think we have similar goals. We want to help people, keep the world safer...I think it's very noble that she doesn't want to put me at risk, but it's just how I am! Once she sees that, I'm sure she'll find that I can be quite the dutiful ally!

 **Sonica-** Something about that Marky guy STINKS! Maybe it's because he chose to dye his hair like a skunk, but I always trust my intuition and right now it's telling me that kid is nothing but tacky with a capital T! Rather than waste my time with him, I'm just telling him how it is. I'll find better people to work with and won't even bother myself to think about him.

 **Marky-** I want to get a jump on stirring up some trouble. Marlon and Michelle both were very quick to take the lead, so I'm thinking it could be some fun to get people worried about a potential alliance already. Problem is, I think I chose the wrong person to pitch it to. How am I supposed to know who's gullible and who's not!?

 **Seth-** Life does not travel in a straight line, it curves, bends, sometimes takes you right back to where you started, but all the more changed for the journey. It would seem as though by a little bit of chance alone I've been deemed a legend. Who am I to reject such an honor? I shall take it as a blessing.

(Nobodies)

This team was walking down a different path, though it had the same eerie trees looming over them. Zach had his camera ready.

"This scenery is perfect," he remarked. "Hey who's up for a photo-shoot!?"

"Ooh me, pick me!" Chloe exclaimed. "Please oh please!"

"You got it!" Zach said. "Try to look scared!"

Chloe struck a worried pose under some trees while Zach snapped some photos.

"Perfect, really sets the tone!" Zach exclaimed.

"Wait, wait, can we try that again?" Chloe asked. "I don't think I quite looked scared enough, I can do better!"

Chloe took a more terrified stance, holding her hands up and fixing a horrified expression on some invisible sight.

"I love it!" Zach said.

"Oh hold on," Chloe said, "I don't want to look weak though. I'm still fierce and I ought to convey that. Can we do something where I'm looking scared, but ready to fight?"

"You two should probably stop wasting time," Terra suggested. "If we want to get out of the open before midnight, we're not going to have a lot of time to waste."

"Well, there's some big talk from the girl who doesn't even want to win," Zach scoffed.

"I don't, but I'm also not too keen on running into whatever nasty surprise our sadistic host has planned for us," Terra retorted.

"Guys, guys, let's all calm down and have a nice deep breath," Sybil suggested.

Sybil took the lead, breathing in a garbled awkward intake.

"Ah yeah, that's the stuff, oxygen, am I right?" she said. "Okay now look, after getting in touch with my inner chakra aura I think I've gotten a pre...prema...premonta...thing."

"A premonta thing?" Chloe asked in confusion.

"You know, a premmamemma notion...thing," Sybil said in frustration. "The thing where I get a sense, and I tell you all we're going in the right direction because I'm right!"

"Yeah, we have a map," Terra replied.

"A map can be wrong! I'm trusting the map in me to speak through me in premmalemograms!" Sybil snapped.

"Well I for one have full trust in Sybil's permutations!" Emily said as she threw her arm around Sybil.

"I didn't say perm mutation," Sybil scoffed as she shoved Emily off of her. "I said Penallemonanism! You know what, the name doesn't matter, it's a thing and I'm having one! And it says go that way!"

"Yes, the way we were already going," Zach pointed out. "Thanks for the reassurance."

Further back, Darren had stopped to spray some paint along a tree.

"Ooh, I just love what you're doing, looks great!" Gloria remarked.

"Thanks," Darren replied. "I like to just leave a bit of a reminder that I was here."

"So badass, love it," Gloria said. "Although you know, these big scary woods are making me a little bit nervous."

Gloria shivered and pressed her body against Darren who instinctively put his arm around her.

"You'll keep me safe won't you?" Gloria cooed. "You're big and strong and won't let anything happen to me?"

"Of course, beautiful," Darren replied.

"Teehee, you called me beautiful," Gloria said in an exaggerated syrupy tone.

"I call it as I see it," Darren said.

Even further back, Rory was trembling and taking baby steps at a snail's pace. His head twitched from side to side at each noise.

"Oh man, we're so dead, we're totally dead," he cowered. "I'm just waiting for the masked chainsaw-wielding serial killer to jump out at any second."

"Hey, relax buddy," Bailey reassured. "I happen to be one of Princess Kokomo's most trusted knights, in fact I'm the only one she needs! I've kept her safe from all the bullies and trouble in the world. If I'm good enough for her, surely I've got what it takes to look after my new friends!"

"I g-guess," Rory stammered. "I'm just waiting for something b-bad to happen."

"HEY THERE!" Jeffrey exclaimed as he gripped Rory from behind.

"AAAAAAAH!" Rory screamed before convulsing on the ground and curling up into the fetal position.

"Oh dear, that's not good," Bailey noted.

Rory trembled rapidly and stuttered incoherently.

"I got this!" Jeffrey assured Bailey, before leaning down to Rory. "Hey there, buddy, how's the weather down there?"

Rory continued to just stammer in panic.

"I hear it's going to rain!" Jeffrey said before revealing a seltzer bottle and dousing the boy's face.

Rory just yelped and gurgled as he was sprayed.

"Maybe you should stop that," Bailey suggested.

"Maybe I should, maybe I shouldn't!" Jeffrey replied. "Whoooo HOO HOO HEH HE HEEEEEEE!"

 **Confessional:**

 **Terra-** I am very passionate about my beliefs, but I'm still a real person too and I'm open to helping these kids out. Maybe just maybe I can convince them to make sure the prize money gets put to good use in the process. But they better not piss me off, or else I'll be their worst enemy!

 **Gloria-** Darren seems like a good place to start. He's a good looking, strong guy, I don't have to fake anything. Just make him feel like he's my Prince Charming and I'll have him coiled around my finger.

 **Darren-** I like to live a little piece of my art wherever I go. I like to think when I'm long gone, a part of me will still live on in all the places I've visited. I guess in that sense you could say that my mission is in fact to become a legend.

 **Bailey-** Gentle Spring likes it when people are nice and kind to each other. That's how you make friends! Isn't that right, Gentle Spring? (holds up his pony) Oh why thank you, I am trying my best! Rory seems like the kinda guy who could really use a friend, so I think it's my duty to be there for him. Now, that clown on the other hand...he doesn't really seem all that friendly.

(Legends)

Michelle and Marlon still maintained the lead of their team.

"Maybe we ought to slow down," Marlon suggested. "The others seem to have fallen behind and we won't do much good for them if they can't even find us."

"Wait...shh," Michelle ordered.

"Hey, I'm just saying," Marlon argued.

"No, shh!" Michelle ordered again in a firm whisper.

She pulled Marlon down and into a thicket of tangled plants.

"Something is lurking," she stated. "Something bad. I can sense it."

"The others?" Marlon reminded.

"If we're lucky, it will pass before it encounters anyone," Michelle replied.

The two noticed Sonica catching up now. Marlon signaled silently to Michelle. She nodded. Marlon crept out of his hiding spot and rolled over to Sonica. He grabbed her from behind and pulled her back to the brambles.

"What the f-" Sonica gasped before Michelle clamped her hand over her mouth.

Meanwhile, Marky had lost sight of Sonica and the others altogether.

"Hey guys, wait up!" he called from the distance.

His voice just echoed in the shadows.

"You're the ones with the map, remember?" he said. "If I can't see you, I'm gonna get lost."

Still no answer. Marky cautiously kept moving forward.

"Okay, well, they probably went this way, right?" he asked himself. "Unless...we were supposed to turn down there?"

Marky turned and explored what looked like a freshly tread path down a hill. He then stopped and retraced his steps.

"No, that doesn't look right," he said to himself again.

Marky then sensed some movement behind him. It wasn't a sound like a footstep, but more of a shift in the wind as something quickly moved from one place to another. Marky turned around and examined his surroundings. He thought he saw something moving in the shadows, though it was hard to discern if it was a person or just trees swaying in the wind. Amid the darkness, the figure just looked like a distorted silhouette.

"Hello?" Marky called out. "Is that you, guys?"

The movement stopped and Marky felt a sense of dread wash over him. If it was one of his teammates, why hadn't they called out back to him? Marky carefully started to back up, never taking his eyes off of the ominous shadow. Suddenly Marky bumped into something behind him and stumbled over backwards.

"Watch where you're going!" Ada exclaimed as the two collided.

"Ah! Oh..it's you," Marky breathed a sigh of relief, as he realized he had been sweating nervously. "Did you see it!?"

"Did we see what?" Ada asked.

"The thing the..." Marky stammered as he pointed, only to see trees and shadows, nothing out of the ordinary. "The...I don't know?"

"Well then, I don't know what you expect me to say to that," Ada replied.

"Guys, let's just calm down and focus on what's important," Adrian said. "Where did the others go?"

"Uh...I dunno," Marky said with a helpless shrug. "I kinda lost them."

"Well that's just great," Ada groaned.

"Hey, don't worry, I can handle this," Mimi said. "I have a great sense of direction."

"Of course, Miss Evertide!" Adrian said before giving a very concerned shake of his head to the other two.

Grace and Seth meanwhile had veered of course and were walking in a completely different direction by now. Seth tried his hand against several trees.

"Why are you doing that?" Grace asked.

"I am connecting with the stories woven into the bark, nurtured by the soil," Seth replied. "There is something very...wrong with this island."

"Oh..." Grace said, before trying to mimic Seth's motion.

"I don't feel peace and harmony," Seth continued, "just fear."

"That is not good," Grace stated without much inflection.

"No it is not," Seth agreed.

The two came across a rock formation with an opening.

"Interesting," Seth said as he crawled into the opening.

He found inside to be a quite spacious little chamber of rock.

"Hello," Grace said as she joined Seth inside.

"I have a feeling...we may want to stay here for a bit," Seth remarked as he traced his hand along the walls.

"Okay," Grace replied.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes. Suddenly the entire cave went pitch black as something seemed to block the opening. Grace let out a frightened gasp and clutched Seth's hand tightly. Seth seemed to transfer a soothing energy by returning her grip. After a few more minutes in pregnant silence whatever had been obstructing their view moved away. The two waited in silence a little while longer, but eventually Grace crawled back out. Seth followed behind her.

"What was that? A...cloud?" Grace asked in confusion.

"I think...it was something's foot," Seth said with concern as he pointed to the shallow yet expansive impression that had been left in front of the cave.

Somewhere else, in the middle of the forest, Billy was just shambling helplessly. His dress had gotten several branches, thorns, and vines stuck in the fabric, giving him a hideous train of tangles following behind him.

"Ugh, come on, come on, give me a break here!" Billy sighed as he continue to try to straighten out his dress.

Two branches dangling from either side snagged the frills, causing him to swing into one tree before slingshotting to the other one.

"Ugh, that's it I'm getting out of this thing right...NOW!" Billy said as he tugged at the fabric. "Come on...what is this made of!?

Giving up on trying to tear off the dress, Billy decided to keep moving. However, he realized that after leaning against the tree, the dress had gotten glued to some of the sap.

"God damn you!" Billy cursed.

 **Confessional:**

 **Michelle-** I knew I sensed trouble, this island isn't safe for anyone. This terrain isn't ideal for a battle not with so many innocents involved. I'll need to play it defensively for now until I know what I'm dealing with!

 **Adrian-** Well we're not exactly off to an ideal start. Oh why didn't I ask for the map? I'm very good with handling documents, I'm sure this all could have been avoided!

 **Seth-** I can't quite explain my affinity, I wouldn't consider myself skilled or knowledgeable. I simply listen. I keep my ears and senses open and...one way or another, I can hear sounds that others may not be attuned to. Right now though, they are very frightened, this entire island seems drenched in fear and it's not a good feeling. I've never felt anything like it before.

 **Billy-** My perfect game is ruined already, I can't believe this! And all because I can't get out of this damn dress! I can't even pull off the graceful bride anymore, look at me! I'm not graceful, I'M A MESS!

(Nobodies)

Sybil, Terra, Zach, Emily, and Chloe had come to a rushing river, too wide for them to cross and no one was rushing to try swimming.

"Well this is just great," Terra remarked, "How are we supposed to get a cross this!?"

'Maybe we took a wrong turn?" Emily suggested.

"No, no, we're definitely on course," Chloe said as she studied the map.

"Well does the map tell us if there's a bridge or some boats we can find?" Terra asked.

"I...I don't know, it doesn't even show a river on here," Chloe said.

"Maybe Miss Mystic here can guide us with her aura," Zach said sarcastically to Sybil.

"Maybe Miss Mystic doesn't want to help you after you shunned me last time I tried," Sybil scoffed.

"Alright, let's just stay cool here," Chloe spoke up. "I'm sure there's a way across here, we just need to put our heads together and figure it out."

Meanwhile, Gloria and Darren were taking their time through the woods.

"Hm, looks like we've lost the others," Darren remarked.

"Mhm, just the two of us now," Gloria cooed as she linked her arm around Darren's, pulling herself in close.

"Maybe we should try to find them," Darren suggested uncertainly.

"There's no rush," Gloria teased as she pulled Darren with as she sat down on a stump. "Isn't this nice? All alone together?"

"I guess we can take a bit of time to enjoy the silence," Darren said.

No sooner had he turned to face Gloria when his ears picked up.

"Hey, do you hear that?" he asked.

"I thought we were enjoying the silence!?" Gloria complained.

"No, shh, I think someone's calling for us," Darren said.

Gloria paused in silence. The two heard a faint sound, almost like a muffled sounds of distress without forming any actual words.

"We should probably check it out," Darren said.

"I suppose," Gloria sighed.

The two got up and tried to find the source of the noise. It seemed to be coming from nowhere in particular. Sometimes it sounded more like a sustained scream, while other times just the low grumbling. Darren and Gloria both came up to a twisted tree where the sound seemed strongest.

"Well this is neat," Darren remarked as he looked up at the tree.

"Is this voice coming from the ground?" Gloria said with concern as she put her ear against a spot in the grass.

She felt something moving as if it was trying to break out of the ground.

"I...don't like this," Gloria suddenly said nervously as she ran back to Darren.

"Me neither, let's find the others!" Darren said.

"Sounds good!" Gloria agreed.

The two immediately fled the section. In another part of the woods, Bailey and Jeffrey hadn't moved as Rory had passed out by now.

"Aw man, this isn't good," Bailey noted.

"Well then let's make it good!" Jeffrey said. "There's an upside to every lemon!"

"There's a...what? Okay?" Bailey said in confusion.

Jeffrey pulled something out of his massive pockets and went to work on Rory. When he was finished he had him strewn up like a puppet.

"Ta da! Look at him dance! Doesn't he look much happier now! Dance buddy! Ooooh Hihihihih HEEEE HEN HEN HAAAAAAHAAAARRRRR HAR HAR HARDY HAR!" Jeffrey exclaimed as he used his contraption to move Rory's body.

"This feels wrong," Bailey stated.

"Hey there friend," Jeffrey said, mimicking Rory's voice as he made the body walk up to Bailey. "I'm just fine, see! Couldn't be better!"

"Guh...what's happening!?" Rory exclaimed as he came back to.

"I didn't even have to pull the string that time!" Jeffrey exclaimed.

"Why is this happening to me?" Rory asked.

"It's okay, let's get you out of there," Bailey said. "Jeffrey was just uh...trying to help."

"What are friends for!?" Jeffrey said with a smile.

Bailey helped untangle Rory and free him from the strings.

"Well uh...now where do we go?" Rory asked.

"That's a silly question! We GO to the cabin! Get it!? HAHAHA BECAUSE HAAAAA BECAUSE HE ASKED WHERE WE GO NOW!? WELL!? WELL! WE'RE GOING TO THE CABIN AHAHAHAH HIHIHIHIH HEEEEEEEEEHEHEHEHE! BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET THERE! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHA!" Jeffrey exploded.

"Hm, you know what, I have an idea," Bailey said. "Rojo is part blood hound, I think he might be able to track a scent!"

Bailey pulled out his electronic device.

"Well Rojo? Do you smell anything, boy!?" Bailey asked.

"Uh...you realize that's just a toy, right?" Rory asked.

"Don't listen to him, Rojo, you're the best dog a guy could ask for!" Bailey said. "Show'em what you can do!"

The electronic device came a grainy 'woof.'

"He says go this way!" Bailey exclaimed as he took off.

"What? But he just...okay why not!?" Rory shrugged as he followed after Bailey.

"HEY GUYS!" Jeffrey exclaimed as he chased after them with his shoes flopping side to side. "You know what might make this place a little less scary? A SONG! Oh there was a farmer had a dog and Rojo was his name OH! R O J O! R O J O! AND ROJO WAS HIS NAME OH!"

"I think you're frightening Rojo," Bailey said. "There, there boy, you're doing great."

"Oof!" Rory exclaimed as he fell into a pit. "Who put this hole here!?"

"Hm, that's strange," Bailey remarked. "It looks freshly dug too."

"Probably mean old Chris up to his tricks again!" Jeffrey said.

"Must be," Bailey agreed as helped Rory out.

The three never stopped to notice that the hole was dug right in front of a twisted tree.

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** On the one hand, it's frustrating when things don't go smoothly, but there's an upside to it too. This gives us a chance to work together, and can establish some early bonding. Working together for simple problems can translate pretty easily into working together in the game.

 **Gloria-** This is all in all getting too real for me! I like pretending to be scared for the attention, I don't want to actually have to fear for my life out here!

 **Darren-** Gloria seems like a pretty sweet girl, and I'll admit, it's nice to have a beauty like her interested in me, even if it is just playing. That being said, there's a time and place for everything and right now I'm not feeling too romantic.

 **Bailey-** People who say Rojo is just a toy are just jealous cause they don't have a friend like him! So long as I always have a double A battery on hand, he'll never leave me!

(Legends)

Michelle peeked her head out from her hiding place.

"I think it's safe," she said.

"Well good then can someone tell me what the HELL that was all about!?" Sonica exclaimed while glaring angrily at Marlon. "I do NOT like to be manhandled by some MAN! Unless of course you're on my list of dream celebrities, consisting of Robert Downey Jr. and Harry Styles, which you most certainly are NOT!"

"I apologize," Marlon said. "There didn't seem much time to explain...and I'm actually not quite sure what I would be explaining."

Marlon looked to Michelle.

"I didn't get a good enough look," Michelle stated. "If we're lucky it could have just been a poltergeist playing, but I fear we could be dealing with a shade."

"Is this supposed to mean something to me?" Sonica scoffed. "None of this is explaining why I was manhandled!"

"Oh look, there's some of the others!" Marlon exclaimed.

The group saw Mimi, Adrian, Ada, and Marky approaching.

"Oh we actually made it!" Marky exclaimed.

"I told you I'm good at directions!" Mimi said.

"It also was easy to follow Sonica's angry voice," Adrian said.

"Happy to help," Sonica replied.

"Alright, well let's see that map," Ada said. "We've got a cabin to find."

"Aren't we still missing some of our team?" Marlon asked. "And it's getting dangerous close to midnight."

"Well then let' find them!" Michelle said.

"And how do you propose we do that?" Ada asked. "They could be anywhere. I would know, this forest is very easy to get lost in if you don't have a clear path to follow. Why not just get to the cabin and hope they find their way there? Otherwise we're all just going to get lost."

"Leave someone behind? Never!" Michelle said.

"I'm gonna have to agree with her," Marlon added.

"I say forget'em," Sonica scoffed. "We're gonna be votin'em out soon enough anyways, right? Why pretend like we care now?"

"I think it's imperative that Miss Evertide get much needed rest," Adrian said. "She really can't function without the proper full night's sleep."

"Aw, it's so sweet of you to remember that," Mimi replied.

"Fine then, I'll find them myself!" Michelle said.

"And I'll go with you!" Marlon offered.

"No, protect this group," Michelle said as she handed Marlon the map. "Someone has to do it. I'll find my way back when I have the others."

"Are you sure you'll be okay on your own?" Marlon asked.

"It's not a discussion, go now and stop wasting time," Michelle said.

 **Confessional:**

 **Adrian-** My concern here is always going to be looking after Miss Evertide! Yes, I sympathize with the others, but I'm not getting paid to keep them safe. I am fully dedicated to Miss Evertide and right now she need some shelter and a place to rest!

 **Mimi-** I think things are going really well so far.

 **Sonica-** Hmph, I'm just saying what we're all thinking. We can act like we're all friends in this together, but we ain't! Pretty soon we're gonna be lookin' to put someone on the bottom. I'm just saying, if people can't keep up why not just make the decision right here and leave'em be?

(Nobodies)

The group at the river had spread out to search for any way across. Eventually Zach discovered something.

"Guys over here!" he called. "I think our found our way to get over!"

Zach presented a series of rocks that made their way to the other end.

"This looks dangerous," Emily noted. "Although it's a very good find and I appreciate you for discovering it!"

"Well, I don't see any safer routes," Zach said with a shrug.

"Agreed, we're going to have to just be careful," Chloe said.

"Guys, guys, I got this," Sybil said before clumsily swinging her arms in an odd motion.

"Uh...what was that?" Terra asked.

"Obviously it was a good luck spell, you ignorant uh...gecko? Eh I can do better give me a second," Sybil said.

"I'll make the first pass," Zach said. "Just follow my lead, ladies!"

Zach took a step onto the nearest stone. He wobbled a bit trying to get his balance on the slippery surface, but managed to keep moving forward.

"See? Not so bad," he said.

"Alright, here we go!" Chloe said as she followed.

"You degenerate dog!" Sybil called out. "Hm...I dunno, I think I might actually go back with gecko, that had a little more originality. You good with that?"

Emily followed Chloe, then Terra and Sybil brought up the rear. Zach made his way to the other side and safely landed on the land. In the middle of the river though, something seemed to frighten Emily. She recoiled in terror, which caused her to lose her balance and plummet into the river.

"Guh, help!" she cried before being pulled under.

The current was quick to sweep her up. Chloe wasted no time diving into the water though. Chloe managed to grab Emily and pull her back up, but now she as getting caught in the current as well. She tried to grabbed anything she could to hold onto.

"I got this!" Terra said as she pulled Sybil's scarf off of her.

"Hey!" Sybil snapped.

Terra tossed the scarf into the water as she called "Grab on!"

Chloe grabbed the tether and the two were able to work together to get her and Emily back up onto the rocks.

"Well that was close," Terra remarked.

Chloe just sputtered up water and sighed in relief. Emily similarly coughed up large quantities of water.

"So much for your good luck charm," Terra scoffed to Sybil.

"Jesus Christ, woman, maybe if you people weren't doubting me every step of the way I could actually work some god damn magic!" Sybil barked. "I am not feeling supported here and belief is the foundation of yadda yadda you know the rest."

"Guys!" Emily suddenly screamed. "I saw something, it was horrible! In the water it was...a hand!"

"Someone else is drowning!?" Chloe gasped.

"No! No it was...just a hand, a severed hand all on its own!" Emily sobbed.

Chloe and Terra looked out into the water.

"I don't see anything," Terra said.

"Well I guess it washed away, but I know what I saw!" Emily cried. "It's burned into my memory that horrible image!"

"I think that whatever this is, it means we better keep moving," Chloe said as she continued to jump across the rocks.

Soon after the group had crossed and moved on, Darren and Gloria came to the river.

"Oh no!" Gloria gasped. "How are we supposed to get across this?"

"Maybe we took a wrong turn," Darren said.

"Well I don't want to go back the way we came!" Gloria sobbed. "Oh no look...something's coming! We're dead!"

Gloria tried to jump into the river but Darren held her back.

"You don't want to do that," Darren said.

He pointed out to the sound of Jeffrey singing, "...AND ROJO WAS HIS NAME OH!"

"That's not better," Gloria replied.

"Oh hi guys!" Jeffrey greeted.

"You did it, Rojo!" Bailey exclaimed triumphantly.

"Well at least if I die here it will be in the company of dreamy boys," Gloria remarked.

"Hey, let me handle this," Jeffrey said, "As usual, you just need someone who can...stay on the ball! AAAAAHAHHAHAH HEEEE HEE HEH HE HHIHIHIHIHI HOOOOO BOY HOHOHOHO! Eh...you'll get it in a minute."

Jeffrey then reached into his pockets and pulled out a handful of balls.

"Is now really the time for a juggling act?" Darren asked.

"You bet it is!" Jeffrey said as he juggled the balls and then tossed them into the water.

They suddenly inflated in size, forming a collection of large floatable dinosaurs.

"All aboard!" Jeffrey announced.

The group each jumped onto one of the floatable objects. As soon as Rory reached his, it swerved into a sharp rock, puncturing it and causing it to deflate instantly.

"Whoa there, partner!" Jeffrey exclaimed as he reached down and grabbed Rory. "Looks like you're riding with me!"

"Super," Rory sighed.

 **Confessional:**

 **Emily-** I know what I saw and I never ever lie! Well unless there's a good reason, like telling the waitress that the food tastes great when it's actually a little underdone, but I don't want her to have to go back to tell the chef. Then it's okay to lie. BUT I had no reason to lie and I tell you, I saw someone's hand just floating there in the water. Something freaky is going on here!

 **Terra-** Mark my words, Chris, there's nothing I'd love more than to expose you! Is this some intern mistreatment controversy just waiting to blow up!? You may be used to being able to just throw money at your problems but I am immune to money!

 **Jeffrey-** I may not be a boy scout, but I'm always prepared for any occasion, OOOOOOOH HEEEEEEEE BOY SCOUT! HA THAT'S GOOD OOOOH HOHOHO!

(Legends)

Seth and Grace wandered through woods following no direct path. Seth moved from tree to tree as if trying to discern something.

"May I ask you a question?" Grace spoke up.

"Of course," Seth said.

"Do you know where we are going?" Grace asked.

"I do not," Seth replied. "But sometimes it is better to let the path find you. By letting yourself wander free, you may find where you are truly meant to be."

"I see," Grace said. "May I ask you another question?"

"Again, yes," Seth said. "You don't need to ask each time."

"Noted," Grace replied. "My question is, are you intentionally lying to me, or are you just wrong? This is not confrontational, I simply wish to know so that I may gauge the appropriate reaction to this situation."

"I beg your pardon?" Seth asked.

"Well, what you just said...it is incorrect," Grace stated. "Even a child could tell you that. If you are lost, wandering without direction will not necessarily get you to where you need to be. Sometimes you may get more lost."

"Ah but-" Seth began before going silent.

The two heard a low growling coming from the shrubs nearby. They both glanced at each other and slowly backed up. The noise stopped. Then it picked up again, this time behind them. Grace clutched Seth's hand nervously. Suddenly, someone else leapt down from a tree and into the shrubs behind them. It was Michelle, with her sword brandished and ready to attack.

"Got you!" she exclaimed as she landed in the bushes.

The two heard the sounds of a violent struggle and rapid movement. They both tried to put distance between themselves and the scuffle. They heard Michelle grunt and yell angrily, they heard the sound of her sword making contact with something, they heard an inhuman screech fill the air. Then the sound subsided. Michelle walked out of the bushes, looking roughed up but unharmed.

"It is safe now, let's go," she said.

"You got it," Grace said eagerly.

"This way," Michelle guided. "The rest of the group went on ahead. I think I can get back to them."

Seth and Grace made sure to stay close behind Michelle as she quickly retraced the way she had come. Despite having a tiring trek to make, the group had no more unusual encounters.

"Look," Grace exclaimed as she pointed to a cabin in the distance. "We found it."

The building was somewhat larger than the shack Chris had been waiting it, but looked even more run down. Moss and ivy were growing along the walls, which had rotted and show various cracks in the wood. The group came up to the small porch and opened the door. Inside Mimi, Adrian, Marlon, Marky, Ada, and Sonica were waiting.

"Safe and sound, as promised!" Marlon said.

"And here are our two lost lambs," Michelle said as she presented Seth and Grace.

"That's everyone, right?" Adrian asked.

"Everyone who matters, yes," Sonica answered.

The three entered the building and took a look around at the surroundings. The building was fairly barren, just a series of dirty cots lining the walls.

"There's a kitchen in the back," Adrian said. "Though it's not stocked and we've got no power, so I don't know what good it will do us."

"The important thing is that we made it," Michelle stated.

 **Confessional:**

 **Grace-** I believe I may have just had a near death experience. Concerning.

 **Mimi-** Okay, so I will admit, when I realized I actually had to sleep here on these gross disease infested mattresses, I just about told Adrian to book me the next flight out of here. But then I realized that everybody else is doing it, so despite my sensitive skin, I will just have to suck it up and fit in.

 **Marlon-** I didn't like knowing that our friends were still out there alone in the woods. I should have helped them, but Michelle handled it, and she's right, I wouldn't want to leave the others alone either.

 **Michelle-** This home will do...for now. I don't trust that it's secure, but it will keep us all together under a roof, and for now that is good enough.

(Nobodies)

Emily, Zach, Chloe, Terra, and Sybil found their cabin in a small valley. The building appeared very similar to the other, though this one still had some flecks of red paint remaining on it.

"Hallelujah!" Sybil exclaimed.

"Home sweet home, for now," Chloe said.

The group entered the building.

"Well I wouldn't exactly call it cozy," Zach remarked.

"You know what, I'll take it!" Emily said. "After today I'm not sure if I'm ever going to want to leave this place."

"You'll be fine, I promise," Chloe said.

"All this camaraderie is great, but let's not forgot that we've still got a game to play," Zach remarked.

"Let's not kill the moment," Terra said. "We survived, we got here together. That should be what really matters, not the money."

"Suit yourself," Zach said with a shrug.

"Knock knock!" someone exclaimed at the door.

"Uh...who's there?" Emily asked uncertainly.

"You!" the voice exclaimed.

"Me?" Emily asked.

"No you!" they retorted.

"What?" Emily said.

"Just said 'you who?'" the voice ordered.

"You who?" Emily echoed.

"YOOHOO!" Jeffrey exclaimed as he kicked down the door. "IT'S ME!"

Rory, Darren, Gloria, and Bailey all entered as well.

"We all made it!" Chloe cheered.

"I almost died," Gloria exclaimed.

"Yeah, welcome to the freaking club, you aren't special," Sybil scoffed.

"Darren! Make her take that back!" Gloria sobbed.

"I think we're all tired and beat," Darren said. "Let's just take the moment to breathe easy."

"I am going to have nightmares for the rest of my life!" Gloria sobbed.

"Me too!" Emily exclaimed.

"Here's a newsflash for you ladies...what if I told you that everyone has nightmares all their lives? And that's actually normal? Eh, whattaya think of that?" Sybil said. "That is unless I made you one of my patented dreamcatchers."

"I think we've had enough of your remedies for today," Terra scoffed.

"Guys, let's not fight, let's just enjoy that we survived," Chloe urged.

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** This should be a victory for us. We pulled through against some freaky obstacles, but we got through it together. I wish people weren't so quick to fight, but I guess we just need to get used to each other.

 **Sybil-** All in all, I'd say today was productive. The bimbos are reasonably spooked which means that they'll do anything for a cheap placebo, and I got plenty of those, heh!

 **Zach-** Don't get me wrong, I'm glad we got through today, but there's still a game to be played. I'm not going to be focusing each day on teamwork, sooner or later we're going to need to bring out the individual game.

 **Terra-** This game should be a pretty clear sign of the self serving society we've become. We're pitted against the elements, forced to work together to survive. You'd think that'd be a pretty good teambuilding exercise right? And yet all people can think about is how they can help themselves get closer to the money! Money can't buy you happiness! Do you ever go to the story and see happiness on the shelf? No? Didn't think so! So here's my advice to you: Stop lying to yourself!

(Hosting Shack)

Chris sat in an armchair in front of the fire. He had a straw and tried to suck up the green mush Chef had left for him.

"Ugh this is really terrible, and pretending it's a milkshake isn't helping," Chris sighed. "Chef, did the network ever get back to my request about having a mobile Dairy Queen installed?"

"They said it would come out of your hair care budget," Chef said.

"Ugh, a dirty move!" Chris cursed. "Well maybe they'll feel differently once they see what a smash season we have on our hands! The teams have made it to their new homes, but little do they know that their first challenge is actually closer than they expect. Pretty soon they'll be fighting for their lives in this game in the first immunity challenge! Who will win, Legends or Nobodies!? Who will be the first one sent packing on home!? Find out when we return with more...Total Drama: Legends vs Nobodies!"

* * *

(Legends)

While most of the team was trying to get some sleep on the uncomfortable cots, Marky was still up, looking out the window curiously.

"You're still awake?" Adrian noted.

"You too," Marky pointed out.

"I have trained myself to wake every hour in case Miss Evertide has rolled out of her perfect sleeping position. Her spine really cannot afford to be anything but straight," Adrian stated.

"Well I just wanted to see what was so bad about being out after midnight," Marky said. "If there's some unspeakable evil looming out there I want to see it!"

Adrian pulled a watch out of his pocket.

"Just a few minutes to midnight," he remarked.

As the clocked switched to midnight, the door suddenly was kicked open to reveal a massive being.

"AAAAAAAH!" both boys screamed as they grasped in each other in terror.

"Guys!" Billy exclaimed, now completely covered in leaves, bark, and various brambles. "It's just me!"

"Who is this?" Marky asked.

"You don't recognize me? HA! Of course not, for I am...the Master of Disguise!" Billy exclaimed.

 _To be continued next time..._


	2. Let There Be Light

The storm had not let up on Spooky Island. It was past midnight now and the wind and rain continued to bombard the dark island. Inside the small shack, Chris McClean was trying to stick umbrellas through the various cracks in the walls and ceiling.

"Chef! What's it going to take to get some actual accommodations!" Chris called.

"You want to sleep in a tent in the woods!?" Chef barked back, while putting a bucket under a leak.

"Fine, be that way," Chris groaned. "Oh hello, valued viewers! Welcome back to Total Drama Legends vs Nobodies! Last time we got to meet the cast. The Legends consisted of players who have already made a name for themselves in some way or another, including actress Mimi Evertide, self proclaimed Master of Disguise Billy, and demon slaying warrior Michelle. On the Nobodies we had our applicants, players ready to find their own piece of fame which gave us the likes of sugary sweet Emily, the shameless flirt Gloria, and the perpetually unlucky Rory. At the start, both teams had to vote someone off to join the other team. The Legends made a unified decision to send out Jeffrey the clown, while the Nobodies were much more divided but ended up sending off the nature loving Seth. The teams each journeyed through Spooky Island to find their cabins, but the fun doesn't stop yet, we've got a challenge incoming for them!"

Chris was interrupted by a sudden crash as several panels from the roof came crashing down on top of Chef.

"Ugh...what was that about a tent?" Chris sighed in defeat.

* * *

(Legends)

Inside of the cabin, the group was trying to get some sleep, though it was seemingly difficult. Many were tossing and turning in their cots, and it was not helped by the sound of crashing and tumbling coming from the back kitchen. Mimi stirred briefly and began to open her eyes in confusion.

"Is it morning alright?" she asked.

"No, no, Miss Evertide, you're nowhere near your proper amount of sleep!" Adrian exclaimed as he gently brought her back down. "Try to get back to sleep while I massage your ears and emulate ocean sounds."

"Nah, nah, you're doin' it wrong!" Sonica exclaimed as she shoved Adrian over. "You ain't gonna soothe nobody with that chatter, you gotta get the aesthetic just right! Allow me...oooh hooo...whsssh whssh...whoooosh! wsssh..."

Sonica's ocean noises were interrupted by another crash from the back room.

"Will you pipe down!?" she snapped.

"Enough," Ada groaned as she got out of bed and marched towards the kitchen angrily,

She found Billy wrestling with his dress, still covered in sap and brambles. He was tugging at the edge, but only ended up hitting himself in the face and stumbling backwards to slam his head against a cupboard.

"Excuse me!" Ada said. "Dare I ask, what the hell are you doing!?'

"Oh uh...hey! This is kinda awkward," Billy said with his body still in a contorted shape. "You're not supposed to see this part, but I'll let you in on the secret. I was just preparing my costume for the next time, so long Beautiful Bride and say hello to the Shy Maid!"

Billy tried to make a dramatic switch by shimmying out of the costume but again just ended up losing his footing and falling on the floor.

"Well perhaps you haven't noticed but some of us are trying to sleep!" Ada snapped. "So maybe you would be so considerate as to try another time!?"

Outside the cabin, Michelle was patrolling with her sword drawn and ready. She heard some movement behind her and twirled around with her sword pointed straight at Marlon's nose.

"Easy there, it's just me!" Marlon exclaimed.

"What are you doing up? Michelle asked. "And more importantly, what are you doing out here?"

"You realize both those questions apply to you too, right?" Marlon said. "I'm here because I noticed you weren't in bed. You can sleep too, you know, it's okay."

"I took my rest," Michelle stated. "This team needs protection, these walls may shelter us from the wind and rain, but there are worse things out there. I have to be ready."

"Then let me take a shift," Marlon said. "This may surprise you, but you're human too, you can't just keep running forever without some proper rest."

"And I keep telling you, you are not equipped to handle the threats that you may face," Michelle said.

"You may say that, but I can assure you that if you're on your own, tired and cold, you won't be much good for anyone either," Marlon said, "I...oh what's that!?"

Marlon pointed to a light flickering in the distance of the woods.

"Is this some evil, floating light devil sent to lure us into a trap!?" Marlon gasped.

"Nothing like that exists," Michelle stated. "Let's go check it out."

The two journeyed into the woods and eventually found the source of light was a lantern attached to a post stuck in the ground.

"Hm...interesting," Michelle noted.

"Look, there's a note attached," Marlon said as he pulled a parchment off of the post. "It says, 'Your first challenge has already begun. Follow the directions on the back to find the beacon. Bring your lantern to light it. First team to do so wins immunity, losers will be sending someone home.' Oh dear, we better get the others!"

 **Confessional:**

 **Sonica-** With my highly trained ears I am able to sleep through anything, mhm! But not everyone knows that trick, and I won't have them subjected to off-key lullabies that don't even work! All I'm gonna say is that people had better get used to this though, or else we're in for a lotta sleepless nights!

 **Billy-** Things have not been off to a great start, that's for sure! I haven't even pulled off one transition and the illusion was ruined. Note to self: Confined spaces are not ideal for costumes switches!

 **Marlon-** I'll admit, I can get a bit headstrong at times, but I see a lot of that in Michelle and I think she's going to overexert herself. Sure, maybe she knows what she's doing, but from what I see she's going to exhaust herself and I can't just let her do that to herself without trying to help!

(Nobodies)

This team was also struggling to get sleep in the cold drafty cabin, with their hard mattresses. Terra was up and pacing the floor though.

"That's right, don't shut those cameras off yet," she said. "I'm still here so pay attention."

Terra gestured to the cabin behind her, pointing to the cots each with a tossing and turning player.

"Take a good look, this is the sort of sleep that kids everywhere are forced to endure," she said. "And I'm not just talking in some faraway country across the ocean, I'm talking about the poverty right here in North America. It's cold, it's uncomfortable, and they have no idea when something might wake them up...like this!"

Terra kicked Zach out of his cot.

"Whoa!" he snapped. "What the hell was that for!?"

"Getting a point across," Terra stated.

"Maybe you should settle down and actually try to get some rest," Zach said. "Better now then falling asleep in the middle of a challenge."

"Oh please, like I can get any sleep between those two," Terra remarked as she pointed to Sybil and Jeffrey.

Sybil was snoring obnoxiously while Jeffrey was emitting a 'honk honk honk' sound from his nose every time he exhaled. The commotion had caused others to wake up by now, and a few titled their heads to look at Terra and Zach.

"If you guys are gonna make all this noise I think I might as well just take a walk," Darren said as he got up and headed for the door.

"Wait!" Emily exclaimed as she ran in front of the door and stretch out her arms. "It's after midnight, you can't go out!"

"I'll stick close," Darren assured. "If I see anything, I'll head back in here."

"Perhaps I can be of some assistance," Bailey said as he got up. "Now, I won't lie...I'm a little bit scared...well terrified really, but I am a Knight of Kokomo and as you are all guests of the Kokomo Kingdom, it is my duty to make sure you all stay safe!"

"I'll be fine," Darren said as he walked out the door.

"Wait!" Bailey exclaimed as he chased after him.

Bailey set down his pony and electronic device.

"Alright guys, let me know if you sense any trouble," he said. "And remember, Princess Kokomo is counting on you!"

Bailey paused in silence for a few seconds.

"Hm, thanks for your help Gentle Spring," Bailey said as he picked the two up again. "She says it's all clear!"

Bailey rushed over to Darren who was pacing out in the open now.

"That's great, you can head back," Darren said.

"Oh uh...one more thing though," Bailey said, "Rojo was wondering...what's that!?"

Bailey pointed to a glowing light in the woods.

"Only one way to find out," Darren said as he walked towards it.

Bailey awkwardly stumbled to follow after him. The two discovered the lantern with the same message that the Legends had discovered.

"A challenge!? Right now!?" Bailey gasped.

"Looks like we're not getting any rest after all," Darren sighed. "Let's go tell the others."

 **Confessional:**

 **Emily-** I'm not really a superstitious person, I don't want to blame every bump in the night on ghosts, but I'm also not one to pretend like I know everything. What I do know is that I saw some pretty freaky stuff while we were going through the woods, and I'm worried about what's out there. I don't think wandering around in the dark is a good idea for anyone!

 **Darren-** Don't get me wrong, it's not like I hate people, but I do enjoy some time to myself here and there. When things get all heated and dramatic...that's not for me. I'd prefer to just be alone to my thoughts and my art.

 **Bailey-** Being a knight of Princess Kokomo isn't just about being brave, it's about being loyal to your friends, without fault! I take these teachings very seriously, and if I want to live up to my title of being a knight, that's going to mean doing some things that frighten me, if it means watching out for my friends!

(Legends)

"Up and at'em, everyone!" Marlon exclaimed as he and Michelle returned to the cabin.

Michelle held up the lantern in one hand with the instructions in the other.

"What the hell!?" Sonica groaned. "It's still dark out!"

"We've got a challenge," Marlon said, "Looks like we're not getting any rest tonight."

"Oh but...does it have to be right now?" Adrian asked as he looked with concern at Mimi waking up. "Don't you think we could wait a few more hours?"

"Note says right now," Marlon said, "And it's for immunity, so I don't think we have any time to waste here."

"Adrian, I think it's so sweet that you care, but we have to remember that I'm not the only one that matters here," Mimi said as she got up. "Let's not be selfish."

"You're the only one that matters to me!" Adrian exclaimed.

"Alright, let's move out, everyone," Michelle said as the group slid out of their mattresses. "Stick together, move quickly, and we should be fine."

The group exited the building with Michelle holding the lantern out front as she took the lead. As they left behind the cabin, Billy finally emerged, now with his dress scrunched up in various different directions.

"Okay, guys this is gonna have to...guys? Where'd everyone go?" he remarked.

Outside, Michelle examined the instructions and guided the team through the dark woods.

"I have a question for anyone who is able to answer," Grace stated out loud.

"Okay?" Marky said uncertainly.

"Did anybody else encounter the large creature that I saw on the way here?" Grace asked.

"What like some kind of monster?" Marky asked.

"I suppose it was," Grace replied. "All I know is I saw its gigantic foot pass by."

"No you did not!" Ada exclaimed as she walked between the two.

"Oh, were you there as well?" Grace asked.

"I didn't need to be there, I can tell you that you are wrong because there is no such thing as monsters!" Ada declared. "Giant feet and all this nonsense is just hogwash!"

"Oh...but, I do not understand," Grace said, "If you were not there, then how do you know?"

"I know because it's not scientific!" Ada said firmly. "I believe in the facts. Now if you can show me evidence otherwise I will gladly change my mind!"

"I have evidence..." Grace said, "I saw it...with my own eyes."

"Oh you saw it, well in that case...that changes nothing!" Ada said. "Your testimony is worthless if you can't show me proof to back it up!"

"I know what I saw," Grace simply muttered to herself.

 **Confessional:**

 **Mimi-** Having Adrian here to help me out is wonderful, but we have to remember that if I'm going to stay here with the others then I can't expect any special treatment. I don't need it, I am fully capable of taking part in this adventure myself!

 **Adrian-** Mimi like to believe that she's fully capable of taking care of herself...but she's not! If she's not careful she could end up hurting herself and ruining her career and without her career...my career is gone too!

 **Ada-** I solve mysteries, it's what I do. I follow strange unexplained phenomena and I explain them. In all my time never once have I come across something that could not be explained through logic and scientific fact, so you'll excuse me if I'm a little bit skeptical when it comes to talk of monsters and ghouls.

(Nobodies)

"Hey guys!" Bailey exclaimed as he returned back into the cabin quickly. "Looks like we've got an adventure to go on!"

Darren followed behind him, holding up the lantern and directions.

"Adventure!?" Chloe exclaimed, instantly flipping from her bed to standing awake. "Well then let's go!"

"Whoa, whoa, what is all this?" Zach asked as the others started to get up and shake themselves awake.

"A challenge," Darren stated. "Looks like we're supposed to head out and find a torch to light with this lantern."

"Sounds like something one person could do," Zach remarked.

"And yet, when I tried to walk five feet past the cabin door you guys told me it was too dangerous," Darren replied.

"Oh gee, we're supposed to go out there again?" Emily said nervously while fidgeting with the straps of her dress.

"Hey, it's okay, we'll all keep each other safe," Darren assured her.

"But you'll keep me safe most of all, right!?" Gloria said as she elbowed Emily aside.

"HeeeEEEEY!" Jeffrey exclaimed as he walked up to Gloria. "And you can keep ME safe too! HERE YOU GO!"

Jeffrey reached into his trousers and inexplicably pulled out a safe, which he dropped on Gloria's foot.

"OUCH!" Gloria shouted.

"HAAAAAAA! GET IT!" Jeffrey laughed in Gloria's face. "KEEP ME SAFE!? KEEP MY SAFE!? BECAUSE...BECAUSE HOOOOO teehee HEHEH YEK YEK YEK OOOOHOOOO! BECAUSE IT'S A SAFE! AND YOU'RE GFFFFFYAAAAWWK YAAAAA HAHAHHA KEEPING IT! OOOOOOOOOOOOO NYE NYE NYEEEEEEH!"

"If we get attacked, he's getting eaten first right?" Gloria asked.

"Oh most definitely, between the bright colors and loud noises he's a walking target," Darren remarked.

The group began to make their way out the door.

"Oh hang on guys, Princess Kokomo wants to say something!" Bailey exclaimed. "What's that Princess Kokomo? Okay I will let them know! She says that she wants us all to remember that true strength doesn't come from your muscles, it comes from teamwork!"

"That is the most beautiful thing I've ever heard," Emily said while wiping away a tear.

"I think it's lame," Sybil said with a shrug.

"That's your opinion," Emily replied.

"Alright guys, let's get a move on," Darren said.

 **Confessional:**

 **Gloria-** I think I've still got Darren right in the palm of my hands, but I need to make sure he's not distracted by other girls, like that nosy bitch, Emily. I'm making a mental note to do something about her.

 **Jeffrey-** Some of these people really need to...LIGHTEN UP! YEEEEEEEAAAAH HAAAAAAAAAA! HAW HAW HAW! GET IT DO YOU GET IT!? LIGHT LIGHT LIGHTEN UP! BECAUSE OF THE CHALLENGE WITH LIGHT! ACK ACK ACK OOOOOOHYEESSSS! I'M SO FUNNY ACK AAARG HHAHAH GGGGGJJJJ MMMHNN I'M CHOKING ON HOW FUNNY THAT WAS!

 **Emily-** I've got to remember that there's still a game going on. Yes, things are scary, but that's the point I guess. As weirded out as I am by all of this, I have to take part in the challenge and be a good friend or else I'll find myself gone way too soon.

(Legends)

Seth dangled his fingers along an ousrtretched fern.

"What is the plant telling you?" Grace asked.

"Hm...it is safe...for now," Seth said.

"More baseless superstition," Ada scoffed. "I certainly am not going to feel safe just because you claims a damn plant said so!"

"That is good," Seth declared. "None of us should ever feel safe. For nature is chaotic and confusing, always changing. Anything can happen."

"Anything within the realm of possibility can happen," Ada corrected.

"Soooo...guys?" Marky said as he casually wove himself between Seth and Grace. "What do you all think of Sonica?"

"Sonica is a member of this team, she is a Disc Jockey and has a strong affinity for quality in music," Grace recited.

"Uh true...but I meant personally," Marky said.

"Her personality seems proud and confident, not outwardly aggressive, but still with enough bravado that invites those to challenge her," Grace continued.

"No, personally, like how do you feel about her?" Marky asked. "Cause if I'm being honest, she seems sorta rude to me."

"She certainly thinks highly of herself," Ada remarked.

"Exactly," Marky said. "She was telling me how I'm 'beneath her' apparently and that she's not going to talk to me. Now, that's just plain uncalled for. Has she talked to any of you?"

"I don't believe she has," Seth replied.

"What's all the whisper business about!?" Sonica suddenly exclaimed as she barged towards the group.

"I thought you said your ears were blocking out the sound of my voice," Marky remarked with a roll of his eyes.

"They do, but they also pick up when I hear my name!" Sonica said. "So spill it, what were you talking about!?"

"We were talking about-"Grace began before Marky covered her mouth.

"We were just talking about this monster that Grace saw," Marky answered. "Yeah we were just trying to see if anyone else might have seen it. Guess that's where your name came up!"

"That is not what we were discussing-" Grace said, forcing Marky to cover her mouth again.]

"Okay, right, technically it wasn't a monster, according to Ada," Marky added.

"That is not what we were discussing-" Grace tried to say again.

"Can't you take a hint!?" Marky demanded.

"Okay give me the hint," Grace replied.

"The hint is stop talking!" Marky barked.

"Hmmm...I am going to guess, Mime?" Grace offered.

"What?" Marky replied.

"What?" Grace echoed.

"Y'all are weirdos, that's for sure," Sonica scoffed.

Up front, Michelle and Marlon were still taking the lead. Suddenly Michelle halted.

"Watch out!" she ordered Marlon.

The other boy didn't stop fast enough though and stumbled towards a ditch. Michelle tried to grab him, but ended up getting pulled in with him. The two rolled through the dirt and hit the ground. Michelle was able to catch the lantern on the edge of her sword before it shattered on the ground.

"My bad," Marlon groaned.

"Guys?" Mimi exclaimed in confusion. "Where'd you go-aaaah!"

Mimi came crashing down on top of the two.

"Miss Evertide?" Adrian called.

"Adrian!" Mimi called back.

"Go get help!" Marlon said.

"I'm coming, Miss Evertide!" Adrian exclaimed before jumping into the ditch.

"Well...great," Michelle sighed.

 **Confessional:**

 **Marky-** I've decided to switch my tactics. Sonica decided she was too good for me, so now I'm gonna make her regret the day. Shouldn't be hard at all to put a target on her, she's already making herself as unlikable as possible,

 **Sonica-** You know in this game, when your name gets mentioned you ought to be worried! Now, maybe they were just talking about how incredibly boss I am, that's a possibility. But I ain't takin' that risk!

 **Grace-** There appear to be some social cues I'm missing still. One minute we are discussing mutual dislike of Sonica and the next we are playing 20 Questions. I do not quite understand, but I like to think I am learning.

(Nobodies)

Darren and Bailey both held the lead with Chloe walking closely behind them.

"We're on the right track guys, Rojo is really onto something here," Bailey said. "Good boy, Rojo, when we get there I'll give you a bone!"

"Or we could just follow the directions," Darren said.

"I'm sure both methods are working just fine!" Chloe said. "Two heads are better than one, right!?"

"Hey, that's right!" Bailey exclaimed.

"We'll be there in no time!" Chloe exclaimed.

Somewhat behind them, Gloria was glaring at Darren. She then stepped back so that she could walk side by side with Zach.

"So, nice camera you've got there," she remarked.

"Thanks, it cost me a fortune but it's worth it!" Zach exclaimed.

"You like to take pictures?" Gloria continued. "Maybe I could model for you some time."

"Maybe you could, although my main mission here is to capture some photos of those Legends, like Mimi Evertide," Zach said. "That's what people want to see!"

"I'm sure I'll be a legend one day," Gloria cooed as she gripped Zach's arm and draped it around her shoulder.

Further back, Terra was walking with Emily.

"So uh...hi," Terra said to Emily. "Look, I realize we may not have gotten off on the best foot earlier."

"Whaaat? No, we got off on the best of feet! Just great, we are fine! You're the best!" Emily exclaimed.

"Look, I get it," Terra said. "I'm very intense when it comes to what I believe in and I make no apologies for that, but you seem like a nice girl-"

"Ooh, I'm getting a serious vibe here," Sybil remarked as she shoved her way between the two. "i'm getting a vibe that you're a nasty bitch and no one likes you, and now you're trying to cover it up."

"I stand by who I am," Terra retorted. "When it comes to what I do, you can't afford to be soft and pushed around. You need to stand up strong and that means not always being the nicest person around."

"Yah well tell ya what," Sybil said as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a crystal bracelet. "Why don't you take one of these uuuuh...Hindu Juju gems which will absorb all your bitchy energy and make you into a nice pleasant person."

"I refuse," Terra said. "Like I said, I am happy with who I am. It's necessary, being hated just comes with fighting for a cause you feel strongly about."

"Ooh, I'll take one!" Emily said. "I really need to be nicer!"

"Uuuuh...yeah sure whatever," Sybil said as she handed a bracelet to Emily. "And just remember, nice people don't vote out friends who help them. Just saying, you know, just so we're clear."

"Hey...aren't we missing someone?" Terra asked.

She looked back. Much farther back, Rory had gotten his shirt snagged by a tree branch and was flailing his arms in panic.

"Let go of me, ghost! I..I'm n-not gonna t-taste very good! I'm t-too stringy!" Rory sobbed.

Terra walked up to him and snapped the branch off the tree.

"Oh..." Rory said. "Thank you!"

"Let's hurry up," Terra said, "The others are already getting ahead. If our trip getting here was any indication, we don't want to get separated again."

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** Seeing Rory already struggle to keep up is a clear indication that I was right about his chances here. He's going to be a liability. I'm sure he's a sweet guy, probably doesn't deserve what comes his way, but the rest of us need to be ready to play for ourselves and right now I think it's just plain and simple that he'll need to go for our best shot here.

 **Gloria-** If Darren thinks he can spend time with other girls, then I'll just try the old jealousy trick. Make him see me with another guy-and not too shabby when it comes to a body either-sure enough he'll realize that I'm his one and only.

 **Terra-** Make no mistake, I will fight with all I've got to make sure people realize the evils in the every day world. But not everyone is a bad person, some are just blind to the truth and if I come on too strong that won't do any favors. I've got to remind myself to reel it back sometimes and start with a more open approach.

(Legends)

Michelle was trying to find something to grip along the edge of the trench she had found up in. Marlon held onto the lantern as she tried to find a way out. She jumped up and tried to clutch a part of the dirt, but it crumbled in her hand and she fell back down.

"No good," she sighed.

"Alright, well looks like it's my time to shine," Mimi said. "Now um...hm, just give me a moment., I always think of something..."

Mimi walked up to the side of the trench. She placed her hand awkwardly on the dirt before pulling back.

"Well uh..." she said backing up, "That's not going to work. Adrian, remember that time I fell down a well?"

"Yes, I remember that movie," Adrian replied.

"How did I escape that?" Mimi asked.

"You uncovered a secret passage that led you to an underground lair filled with zombies," Adrian answered.

"Hmm...might not be the best call then," Mimi replied.

"Look guys, let's just wait for the others to arrive we can make sure they hear us and help us out," Marlon said.

"Hm...I don't like staying in one place for too long, we're sitting targets," Michelle remarked.

"Well, we don't exactly have a huge amount of options," Marlon sighed.

Up top, the group of five were wandering through the woods, trying to catch up with the others.

"Where did they get to now?" Ada sighed. "This is going to be as much of a disaster as the last time."

"All storms may come to a peaceful end," Seth replied.

"Yeah, a peaceful end after they wreck everything the hell up," Sonica remarked.

"Excuse me, I have something to say," Grace announced.

"Well? Out with it," Ada said.

"Does anybody else hear that?" Grace asked.

Everyone was silent for a few minutes. They heard movement. Like slow metallic footsteps, approaching.

"Oh good, maybe they've found us!" Ada said.

"That doesn't really sound like our people," Marky said nervously, clearly adverse to the coming noise.

"I sense something very bad, very unnatural," Seth said.

"Nonsense, what could it be!?" Ada scoffed as she moved towards the source of the sound.

Seth stood in front of her and blocked the way though.

"I would highly advise not finding out," he stated.

"Yeah, I'm not liking this," Marky said as the steps became clearer, sounding like they were being dragged along the dirt with each step. "Can we hide, please?"

The group all crouched behind a large tree.

"This is really so si-" Ada tried to said but Marky and Grace both covered her mouth.

Everybody breathed shallow breaths as they pressed their bodies against the bark. Suddenly they were assaulted by the blaring sound of Beyonce's "Crazy In Love."

"Oh oops, left my phone alarm on!" Sonica said.

From the sound of the approaching footsteps, a set of red eyes suddenly cut through the shadows.

"I think it's time to run now!" Marky announced.

Everyone got up and bolted, with Sonica clutching Ada's hand and dragging her along. The group never looked back and just ran in full panic. That is until all of them stumbled into the ditch and toppled onto their teammates.

"Well...hello," Adrian greeted.

'There was, there was! Monster" Marky stammered.

"It was some crazy fool with an axe, I tell you!" Sonica exclaimed. "Red eyes and all!"

"No, no, no, no!" Ada said. "Let's not jump to such ludicrous decision!"

"Well? What was it then? Marky challenged.

"I don't know because you wouldn't let me get a good look," Ada said. "It was probably just some intern sent to scare us though. And you all gave them exactly what they wanted. Bravo."

"Guys, I think the main issue now is, how are we going to get out of here?" Marlon asked.

"Didn't we have a tenth teammate?" Mimi asked.

"Oh yeah...I think we did...where is that guy?" Marlon remarked.

 **Confessional:**

 **Ada-** Yes, it's very easy to get scared, that's why people are so quick to believe in the supernatural. No one wants to get a close enough look and what's frightening them. But if you start digging you'll usually find that your fears are just that and nothing more.

 **Seth-** Nature does not scare me. It can be vicious, confusing, cruel, but it works in a functioning circle that we are all apart of. Whatever was out there..that was not natural. And that scares me.

 **Mimi-** Hm, this usually doesn't take so long for me to turn things around. I guess I just have to build up a little more suspense, but mark my words, I will save the day like I always do!

(Nobodies)

The group had come to a steep hill now and were making their way up the incline. Chloe, Bailey, and Darren reached the top, though Bailey was sweating heavily and looked about ready to collapse.

"Guys...I think I need a rest..." Bailey said as he flopped down under a tree.

Chloe seemed reluctant to stop, but glanced to Darren.

"The whole team looks pretty beat," Darren said, "We probably should let them all catch their breath."

"Agreed!" Chloe said, "But let's not wait too long. The other team is still out there, and we want to keep our lead."

"Thanks guy...Kokomo...really appreciates it," Bailey panted.

"And this will give the two of us a chance to talk," Chloe said softly as she took Darren by the hand and pulled him aside.

"Oh? Is something wrong?" Darren asked.

"Not at all," Chloe said. "I just thought, while we're taking a break it might be a good chance to actually talk about the game. I think both of us are going to be strong assets for this team and we ought to make sure that we're both safe if we do have to vote."

"I can agree to that," Darren said.

"Yay!" Chloe cheered while giving him a quick hug. "And if we do lose, I think we know who will be to blame."

Darren didn't seem to have an answer.

"I think everyone's putting in their best here, but let's just be real...Rory isn't exactly keeping up," Chloe remarked.

"Fair enough," Darren said with a shrug.

Meanwhile, Zach and Gloria arrived at the top of the hill. Gloria glanced at around uncertainly.

"Where did Warren go?" she asked.

"I think him and Chloe went over there," Bailey pointed.

"Is that so?" Gloria said while narrowing her eyes.

Gloria marched in the direction he had pointed and soon ran into Darren.

"Well, well, what were you up to?" Gloria asked with an accusatory tone.

"Just talking to Chloe," Darren said.

"Talking about what!?" Gloria demanded.

"Uh, working together?" Darren said, uncertainly.

"Well...I can work together too!" Gloria said. "Let's all work together! You, me, Chloe...and Zach! He's super hot by the way!"

"Uh...okay we can do that...sure," Darren said uneasily.

Still coming up the hill were Sybil, Jeffrey, Terra, and Emily.

"Sooo..." Emily said as she walked next to Jeffrey. "What's it like being a clown?"

"Oooh, well it's a lot of pressure," Jeffrey said, "A lot of people counting on me to make them smile...I guess you could say I've got...BIG SHOES TO FILL! HAW HAW YEEEEEEEHAW! OOOOH WAP WAP WAP WHOOOOHOHOHOH!"

"Ha ha..." Emily managed to work out.

"Please don't encourage him," Sybil remarked as Jeffrey bent over and slapped a tree in a laughing fit.

"I'm pretty sure it's far too late for that," Terra remarked. "I think he functions on his own self-sustain sense of encouragement."

"Oh, I think we've lost someone again," Emily noted.

Terra sighed as she walked back to find Rory with his feet stuck in the mud.

"Gaaah! Quicksand! I always knew I'd go like this!" he sobbed.

Terra grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him out.

"T-thank you again," Rory stammered.

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** It's time to get a jump on starting alliances! I want to say that this is the first alliance being made on this team? We haven't had a whole lot of time to sit and talk so I am jumping on the first chance I get. Darren seems strong and sensible, both qualities that I want on my side. I think we're going to be great!

 **Darren-** Gloria is acting kinda...strange now. I hope I didn't do something to offend her. Girls are weird.

 **Gloria-** Sometimes guys just need you to be a little more...direct, to take a hint. If Darren wants an alliance, fine, I'll give him an alliance with ME!

(Legends)

The group of nine paced around now crowded ditch.

"Well, we're screwed," Sonica remarked.

"Don't give up just yet!" Marlon exclaimed. "This is a setback but one we can overcome!"

"Wait, guys, I've got it!" Mimi exclaimed.

"Miss Evertide, please don't overexert your mind too hard," Adrian said with concern.

"No really, I've got it," Mimi said. "It's clear that this is one of those life lesson moments. The reason we couldn't get out before is because we all had to work together. Work together to form a human ladder!"

"That idea...might actually just work," Ada said.

"Yay!" Mimi cheered.

"Let's try to get the strongest on the bottom, boost people up," Ada said.

"Sounds like a plan," Marlon agreed. "If we can get just one or two people out of here, maybe they can find us something to grab."

The group began to arrange a formation. Sonica, Marlon, and Michelle formed the base and lifted up Adrian and Mimi, who pulled up Seth and Grace, who helped Marky and Ada climb to the top. The two reached the edge and hopped back onto the grass.

"Alright, this shouldn't be too hard," Ada said, "Just look for a branch or vine that looks sturdy enough."

The two spread out, searching for anything suitable. Marky found a large fallen branch and tried to pull it towards the ditch. Suddenly he noticed an eyeball blinking from inside a knot in the wood.

"Aah!" he gasped as he let go.

"What is it!?" Ada exclaimed as she rushed over to him.

Marky looked back at the branch and just saw a plain knot.

"It's...nothing," he said.

"Well good then," Ada replied. "Let's get this over to the group."

The two worked together to carry the large branch to the pit.

"Perfect!" Marlon exclaimed.

One by one, the rest of the group was able to climb up the branch and get back to the ground.

"Congratulations, everybody," Grace stated.

"There is no time to celebrate just yet," Michelle said. "We've wasted enough time."

 **Confessional:**

 **Mimi-** This just goes to show that as a team, we can accomplish anything!

 **Marky-** Well I'm glad to have helped get through that, but I think we may have to start thinking about who we're going to vote. Just in case we do lose, I want to get the ball rolling so it's not me.

 **Michelle-** I would like today to end in a victory, but if we do lose at the very least we can send out someone who does not belong here.

(Nobodies)

"Alright guys!" Chloe announced as the full team arrived at the top of the hill. "Let's keep moving, I have a really good feeling we can win this thing!"

"Oh gosh, me too!" Emily said.

"That's the spirit!" Bailey exclaimed. "Belief is the first step to making anything happen."

"If only it were that simple," Terra remarked.

"Completely agree," Emily said while pointing at Terra. "So let's believe but not just that, let's also give it our best shot!"

"That's what I'm talking about!" Chloe said.

"...Go team," Sybil managed to add with a weak wave of her fist.

"Let's go!" Chloe said, taking the lead as the team charged down the hill.

"Ooh guys...can't you wait up?" Rory stammered, still completely exhausted.

He glanced back to see a pair of red eyes approaching from the darkness.

"Never mind!" Rory exclaimed, turning around and running straight into a tree.

The group moved on without noticing him falling behind. Chloe and Warren slapped aside dangling pine branches. One of which flung backwards and hit Gloria in the face, causing her to stumble into Sybil.

"Watch it!" Sybil grunted.

"You watch it," Gloria retorted.

"Ladies, squabble later, run now," Terra ordered.

Eventually the group saw a wooden staircase leading up to a large dish with bits of wood stacked in it.

"Looks like we found our beacon," Darren noted.

"And it hasn't been lit yet," Chloe said, taking the lantern from Darren, "We got this!"

Chloe charged up the stairs.

"You go girl!" Emily called after her.

Chloe reached the top and tossed the lantern into the pile of wood. It lit up instantly into a roaring fire that illuminated the woods.

"We did it!" Chloe cheered victoriously.

In the distance, the group of the Legends saw the sudden burst of light.

"No!" Michelle snapped as she bunched a tree.

"Aw dang, we tried guys," Marlon sighed.

"What...no," Mimi said sadly. "This isn't supposed to happen."

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** The first immunity win of the season is ours! There's plenty more to come and we can never give up, but this is an amazing feeling! We are setting the bar high for success!

 **Marlon-** I knew this was a possibility. We lost a lot of time in that ditch. It's okay though, we'll get'em next time.

 **Marky-** Not too surprised by this. Our team was a bit of a mess today. Let's hope they stay that way in the vote.

 **Sonica-** What a terrible look for us.

(Later)

"They're all gone!" Billy sobbed in the middle of the empty cabin. "They must have been taken by evil spirits! Oh nooo! This is all my fault even though I'm not sure how!"

"Um, hello?" Ada said as the group returned to the cabin.

"Guys! You're alive!" Billy exclaimed happily. "I thought you got taken by ghosts!"

"We did not," Ada stated. "We had a challenge."

"Oh...did we win!?" Billy asked.

"No," Ada answered bluntly.

"Oh...this is awkward then," Billy remarked.

"Yes it is," Ada said.

"I'm just gonna...slip into something else," Billy said with gesturing at the torn up filth covered mess that was once a dress.

The large boy shuffled off to hide behind some shrugs.

"Alright, new plan," he said to himself. "Master of Disguise isn't going to cut it, time to go master of stealth and just play it low-key let them forget all about you. I'll just-"

Billy tried to reach behind him and unzip a zipper, however in doing so he tripped over a rock and rolled over backwards down a hill. Everyone winced to the sound of a painful crash.

 **Confessional:**

 **Sonica-** Sure we lost, but I take no blame in that. There are some clear fodder on this team and I intend to send them O-U-T out!

 **Marky-** I've tried to lay the foundation of an alliance, now it's time to really kick that into gear and see if I can make something happen.

 **Marlon-** Losing is never a good feeling, but we can't let it get us down. We just need to figure out how we can grow stronger from this, rather than letting it send us down a spiral.

Sonica gathered Mimi, Adrian, Marlon, and Michelle together along the side of the cabin.

"Alright listen up folks, I don't like to mince words so let's just get this across," Sonica said, "I want to work with the best people on this team, and right now I think that's clearly everyone right here. So can we just agree to vote together, I don't care just so long as it's not one of us."

"I think that sounds like a great idea!" Mimi said.

"If Miss Evertide is in, then you can count on me as well!" Adrian said.

"Well, I'm going to throw a suggestion right out," Marlon said."I think everyone did their best today...except Billy. He wasn't even there for the challenge."

"Ooh, good call," Sonica said. "Talk about a joke. And not the funny kind."

"Works for me," Mimi said while Adrian nodded.

"No," Michelle stated.

"Oh..." Marlon remarked awkwardly.

"You can vote how you want, I won't stop you," Michelle said, "But there is someone here who needs to go first in my mind. Ada. She has absolutely no grasp on the threat that we face, and not only that she openly denies its existence. She is going to get herself, or worst others, hurt by running straight into the face of danger."

"Okay well...why don't we just put a pin in that idea and come back to this," Marlon said.

"Fine by me, just send me the memo when we do settle," Sonica remarked as the group split up.

Marlon quickly moved inside the cabin where he found Ada.

"Aha!" he exclaimed.

"Yes, yes, what is it?" Ada asked.

"I was wondering if I could ask you a favor," Marlon said. "It's clear you and Michelle have some...differences. But do you think the two of you would be able to strike some sort of truce just so we can keep the vote focused on Billy."

"Hm, I doubt we're ever going to see eye to eye," Ada remarked as she wiped her glasses. "But I do want to be rid of that oaf before all else. So let's go have that talk."

Ada got up and Marlon guided her to Michelle.

"Michelle!" Marlon called. "So I know you have some issues with Ada, but I believe she has something to say."

"Let's not make this any harder than it needs to be," Ada said. "We're never going to agree and that's that. But we don't have to be enemies here. Can we leave that aside and agree to just get through this?"

Michelle was silent for a moment before responding, "No."

"What!?" Ada snapped. "How dare you!? I am swallowing my pride here and-"

"I don't care," Michelle replied. "You are a risk to yourself and everyone here with your lack of precaution for the forces of evil. I will not form a truce with you, I want you off this island and that's that."

Michelle turned and walked away.

"Can you believe that little-" Ada stewed.

"I'll uh...talk to her," Marlon sighed.

 **Confessional:**

 **Marlon-** To me the only person who deserves to go is Billy. I just can't bring myself to vote anyone else who was here trying in the challenge. Unfortunately Ada and Michelle have a bit of a spat going on and that's going to be a problem.

 **Mimi-** I'm in an alliance? (claps) Things are going so well already...well other than the part where we lost. I'm still a little shaken over that, but I have to remember, every day is just a step in the journey.

 **Michelle-** I don't care about what's "good strategy" here. My mission is bigger than this game, and I'm not going to be deterred for the sake of keeping people happy. I'm here to protect. Most people can respect that. Ada does not . She must go, for everyone's safety.

Marky walked with Grace and Seth along the outskirts of the cabin, closer to the thick of the forest.

"Alright guys," he said, "I think it's pretty clear that there are some rude people on this team. Sonica still hasn't talked to me and she's probably already setting up some elitist alliance against us."

"That is...unfortunate," Seth sighed.

"Should I try to be more elite?" Grace remarked. "I do not know how to do that? Is it my hair? Should I change it?"

"Nah, nah," Marky said. "We gotta work together to turn this team around while we still can!"

"Hm...yes, clay is easy to change and form when it is still new," Seth said. "I am in."

"Are we starting a pottery club?" Grace asked.

"We're starting an alliance!" Marky said.

"An alliance eh?" Ada remarked as she walked by. "How does this alliance feel about Michelle?"

"Eh, she's rude too," Marky replied.

"Okay, I'm in," Ada said, "Let's turn this team around."

 **Confessional:**

 **Ada-** I do still want to win this game above all else. If that means having to work with some goofballs then so be it. I can be their brain if it gets me ahead.

 **Marky-** I think this alliance is off to a good start. If we come together now while it's still early we can take charge. And I don't think anyone will see us coming on this team.

 **Grace-**...I have no idea what is happening.

* * *

(Later)

The team walked to a large stone structure in the woods. In the middle was a wooden section lined with flaming torches. Chris and Chef stood on either end of a circular white platform that was marked with bones and skulls. Upon further inspection the group saw that the rocks also had skulls attached to them. Chef gestured at ten seats waiting for them.

"Welcome Legends!" Chris exclaimed. "Losing the first challenge, not very legendary of you."

"To be fair," Marky said, "one of us is going to be first boot. That's much more legendary than second or third boot."

"Oh, that is good to know," Grace said with a nod.

"Fair enough," Chris said. "So how are you guys enjoying your team?"

"Eeeh," Sonica said as she gave a so-so motion with her hand.

"Well, I for one think we have a great team," Marlon spoke up. "Everyone seems very dedicated...well, mostly everyone. We may have lost this challenge, but we'll bounce right back up and win the next one!"

"I know we will!" Mimi agreed.

"So, what goes into your thought process for a vote like this?" Chris asked.

"Well, we are voting for-" Grace began before Marky reached over and covered her mouth.

"Let's leave some suspense!" he said.

"Chris, I think there's one clear weak link," Marlon said. "And I think it would be a shame if anyone was voted out before them. This vote should be simple."

"I see. But note that there's a difference between things that are simple, and things that SHOULD be simple," Chris said.

"Quite right," Seth remarked. "A river does not flow in a straight path. It twists and it bends till it finds the path that is right for it. This team is a river, trying to find its path. It may not be simple, but we will flow the way that is best."

"Can we tone back the cheesy metaphors by 20 percent?" Sonica remarked. "It's really killin' the mood for me."

"Well I'd say deeming half the tribe as fodder is much more toxic than harmless metaphors," Marky remarked with a snide smirk. "Just saying."

"Chris, can we just get this over with?" Ada asked.

"Fine by me," Chris said, "It's time to vote!"

Michelle got up and walked to a secluded section within the rock formation.

* * *

(Later)

"I have the votes!" Chris announced. "I will now reveal them. Remember, whoever has their name show up the most will be eliminated in 20th place. Chef, the votes!"

Chef handed Chris a dusty urn.

"First vote..." Chris read, "...Ada!"

"Pathetic," Ada scoffed.

"Second vote..." Chris continued, "...Billy!"

"Yikes!" Billy exclaimed as he tried to pull up his tattered dress to hide behind.

"Third vote..." Chris said, "...Billy! Fourth vote...Marky!"

"Wait...huh?" Marky exclaimed.

"Fifth vote..." Chris continued to read, "...Billy!"

"Sixth vote...Billy!"

"Seventh..."

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

"Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth vote...Billy!"

"Yep, I'm outta here!" Billy exclaimed as he got up and walked towards the center platform. "So how does this work, are you gonna take me back to the boat or-"

"Chef, send him to the Pit of Despair!" Chris exclaimed.

"Wait what?" Billy said nervously.

Chef pulled a lever and the white platform opened up, swallowing Billy into an abyss.

"Aaaaaaaah bye guys!" Billy called as he plummeted.

"Billy is gone!" Chris declared as the platform sealed up again. "But the other nine of you have survived your first elimination. Congratulations. You may now head on back and try not to return here tomorrow. Get some rest!"

Michelle got up and led the team back out the way they had come.

 **Votes:**

 **Sonica-** Billy...you are ugly, tacky, and just plain useless. Get outta my face!

 **Marlon-** Billy, sorry but everyone else contributed to this challenge. I wouldn't feel right voting anyone else.

 **Mimi-** Billy...I don't even know who you are, sorry!

 **Adrian-** Miss Evertide is voting for Billy, and I will do the same.

 **Ada-** I wish that I could vote for Michelle, but I'm not that petty, For this vote it is better to stick with the group, so I vote for Billy!

 **Michelle-** I vote for Ada. You are a liability and the sooner you leave this island the better off we all will be.

 **Marky-** It's a bit too early to shake the boat too much, though I would love to see some shocked faces soon. For now, Billy it's time to go!

 **Seth-** Billy...I believe your time has come.

 **Grace-** I vote for Billy...did I do that right?

 **Billy-** Aw gee, I dunno! I vote for Marky? I think he's supposed to be evil so here goes nothing!

(Conclusion)

Now that the ceremony had ended, Chris and Chef stood at the platform alone.

"Well, well, our first elimination done," Chris said, "Not too shabby for a first round, eh Chef?'

"These kids are gonna get themselves into some serious trouble, calllin' it right now!" Chef remarked.

"And we love trouble here at Total Drama!" Chris exclaimed. "So what lies in store next!? Will Sonica continue to purge the Legends, or will Marky turn the tables on her? Will Gloria get her man? Will the Nobodies continue to take the lead in challenges? All this and more will be revealed when we return on Total Drama: Legends vs Nobodies!"


	3. Haunted Hunt

"Welcome, to Total Drama...Legends vs Nobodies!" Chris McClean exclaimed from the rooftop of his shack. "Now, I suppose you're wondering what I'm doing up here. Well with my handy dandy tarp, I'll be able to put a stop to all these leaks-"

With a firm gust of wind, the ladder leaning against the side was knocked over, trapping Chris up the top.

"Well that's just super," Chrs grunted. "Chef! Little help!?"

"You got it, Chris," said the large man as he stepped out. "Last time on Total Drama Legends vs Nobodies-"

"No!" Chris snapped. "Help me down!"

"You're on your own then," Chef said before turning back to the camera. "Last time, those punk kids had to get some dingy little light to a torch to light up. On the Legends, Michelle and Marlon seemed like the strongest, and they got into an alliance thingamagig with Sonica, Mimi, and Adrian. Meanwhile, those scrawny twigs, Marky, Ada, Seth, and Grace got a deal goin' of their own. Over on the Nobodies, Chloe tried to get a deal with Darren, but Gloria inserted herself and Zach as well. In the end, in a pretty clear votes the Legends sent out the Master of Disaster, aka Billy! Who will-"

"Waaaah!" Chris exclaimed as he fell through the roof.

"Uuh...Total Drama Legends vs Nobodies!" Chef concluded before running back inside.

(Legends)

 **Confessional:**

 **Marlon-** Last round we got together an alliance and all agreed to vote out Billy...except for Michelle. So this puts us in a bit of an awkward spot. Michelle is strong and I like her, but if she can't be a team player...that's going to be a problem.

The sun came out at least as dawn broke over the dark island. The trees still cast an eerie shadow on the ground, but trickles of sunlight made it a bit easier see.

"Well this is a little less terrifying, at least," Marlon remarked as he stepped out of the cabin.

The boy paced around the cabin, examining the dark gnarled trees up close. They appeared dead and rotting, yet still growing. Marlon heard footsteps from around the corner.

"Michelle?" he called.

"No," said Ada's nasal voice, "It's not.

"Oh, sorry," Marlon said, "I thought you were-"

"The crazy sword wielding maniac, yes I gathered," Ada replied.

"Well what are you doing up and about so early?" Marlon asked.

"Doing a little investigating of my own," Ada answered. "I heard some strange noises outside the window a little earlier."

"I thought you didn't believe in that horror stuff?" Marlon said.

"I don't, and you know what I found when I came out to check?" Ada said. "Absolutely nothing. No footprints, no signs of anything being disturbed, no evidence that anything was there. So that just proves that it was simply the wind. I always follow through with my investigations you see. Maybe, maybe one day I will find something that I cannot explain, but I have not yet encountered that day!"

"Oh...well good for you," Marlon said.

"Thank you very much," Ada replied.

"So, about the last round," Marlon said uncertainly, "Sorry you got a vote, but-"

"Oh I knew that was coming, I have better things to worry about than the girl who believes in ghosts and goblins," Ada scoffed.

"So you're not planning to retaliate?" Marlon asked.

"That remains to be seen," Ada replied. "I'm not fool though. I know she's strong, I know we'll need someone like her to win these challenges. Right now I'd rather win than vote her out and lost the next three."

"Sounds fair!" Marlon replied.

Inside the cabin, Mimi had gotten up and gathered the remaining contestants.

"Okay everyone, I think what we need is a good motivational speech," she exclaimed.

"Pass," Sonica remarked as she backed up.

"No it's a good thing," Mimi promised.

"Well that is good," Grace stated.

"Exactly!" Mimi said while pointing at her. "Okay, look guys, I know that we're all feeling down and depressed about our humiliating defeat-"

"Eh, I'm okay," Sonica remarked.

"But I just want you all to know how much you're all bringing to this team," Mimi continued. "We're all trying our best, and we will get back up. I'm here for all of you!"

"Thank you for being here, Mimi," Grace stated. "I am also here."

"And I love you for it!" Mimi exclaimed.

"You're so kind, Miss Evertide," Adrian assured.

"Yeah sure whatever," Sonica scoffed under her breath.

 **Confessional:**

 **Ada-** I've done this sort of thing a lot, it's what I live for. I have to go into every case with the thought that maybe just maybe it might be real, so that I can get the right frame of mind. That's how a hypothesis works after all, and my job is to prove it wrong! So far I have not failed. It's the same thing with Michelle, so far she's harmless enough on her own, but the second she loses her worth, she's out the door!

 **Mimi-** I just love giving motivational speeches! I think I'm really good at it and just making everyone feel good! It's just part of my emotional connection you know, like I just get very invested and pretty soon everyone else is feeling the same way.

 **Sonica-** So last round I made an alliance with what seemed like the best people. Made sense right? I think it was a pretty good idea. Now Mimi is giving this basic-ass speech and just asking like a desperate leech! It's not a good look, and I'm starting to have second thoughts about this…

(Nobodies)

The sun began to creep over the small valley where the Nobodies Cabin was located. Chloe was already up and standing ready as she paced outside with a broad smile on her face.

"Ah, the dawn of a new day, and what a beautiful day it is!" she exclaimed. "Seems like a day for winning!"

"Are you talking to me?" Zach remarked as he followed her. "Or do you always narrate your mornings?"

"Um, I was just building a positive mood," Chloe huffed. "The first step towards a successful day is setting your attitude just right!"

"I think you've got enough of positive attitude for the entire team," Zach replied.

"Well that's the plan," Chloe said.

"So what do you make of this alliance we're in?" Zach asked.

"We're in an alliance?" Chloe replied.

"That's what Gloria says," Zach remarked.

"Well...good!" Chloe said. "I'm glad we're working together. She could have told me though."

"I think she's around back, you can check with her if you prefer," Zach said.

The two walked to the back of the cabin. Darren was busy making designs along the back wall while Gloria watched.

"Ooh, here's a cute idea, you should paint our initials," Gloria cooed. "Maybe a heart."

"Sounds sort of predictable," Darren remarked. "I prefer for my art to have a little more meaning."

"Um excuse me!?" Gloria snapped.

"Hello there!" Chloe called.

Gloria glared at the two approaching before flinging her arm around Darren.

"Ahaha, you are too sweet!" she laughed obnoxiously. "Isn't this guy just the sweetest?"

"He sure is," Zach remarked sarcastically.

"So I hear we are in an alliance together?" Chloe asked.

"Yes, we are in an alliance together, and it's the Double Date alliance!" Gloria declared. "Can you feel the love!?"

"Nothing more pure than reality TV love," Zach remarked.

"Ahaha, you're so romantic," Gloria laughed as she switched her arm to hang around Zach.

"I'm confused, but you seem to have this all figured out," Chloe said.

Inside the cabin, Rory was having some trouble getting out of bed. He struggled with his sheets and ended up tripping over them and slamming straight into the floor.

"Hey there, buddy, looks like you could use a hand!" Bailey said as he helped Rory up.

"Thanks," Rory sighed. "I'm not sure if there's any hope for me though."

"Aw, sure there is!" Bailey exclaimed as he patted him on the back and ended up knocking him to the floor. "Whoops...sorry about that!"

"It's okay," Rory sighed.

"But like I was saying," Bailey said, "Gentle Spring says you always gotta have hope and things will get better. They will!"

"Nothing's gotten better so far," Rory remarked.

"Well maybe you need to pick yourself up and make things better then," Bailey encouraged. "Now it may surprise you, but I used to consider myself something of a loser, not too long ago. I know, I know, it's crazy to think that someone like me might feel that way but it's true! Things didn't always go right, I didn't think I was good at anything or that anyone would like me...But! I had to give up on those thoughts when I became a Knight of Kokomo!"

"Oh...I'm glad for you," Rory said.

"And now it's your turn!" Bailey exclaimed.

"What?" Rory asked.

"We're gonna make you a Knight of Kokomo, so that you can be brave and bold and confident!" Bailey said. "It will be some hard work, you'll need to make some changes, but I have the utmost faith. Let's get started right now!"

"I don't-" Rory began before being dragged outside by Bailey.

"Alright," Bailey said, "When you're a Knight you're always representing Kokomo, always remember that. Stand up tall!"

Rory quivered and continued to cower.

"No, stand UP!" Bailey encouraged. "Tall and straight, like nothing's gonna knock you over!"

Rory managed to straighten out, though still trembled nervously.

"Hm...this might take more work than I thought," Bailey said, "But we will prevail!"

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** Hm, so in an unexpected development, apparently Gloria created an alliance with me, Darren, and Zach. I already had an alliance with Darren, so this works out well enough, but it's sort of an odd feeling not even being approached for this. Not sure what to make of that.

 **Bailey-** Gentle Spring would never turn down a friend in need, sometimes the ones that have it the hardest just need a friend to lift them off their feet. Rory definitely needs a lot of help, but that's what friends are for! I used to be clumsy and sad, but now I'm clumsy and confident! Following the code of Knighthood has taught me a lot about staying strong in the face of the storm, and now it's my duty to pass on that message!

 **Rory-** I don't want to disappoint Bailey, but I think he's just wasting his time here. There's no helping me (sighs).

(Legends)

As Ada and Marlon walked back to the cabin they heard a noise from behind. The two craned their necks and saw Michelle leap out of the woods.

"The perimeter is secure," she stated.

"Secure from what? The bees and the squirrels?" Ada scoffed.

"Now, there's no need-" Marlon tried to say.

"You ought to be grateful," Michelle sneered at Ada. "I am doing what you could never handle!"

"Believe in the impossible? You're quite right, I could never handle sinking to that level," Ada retorted.

"Ladies, ladies, please," Marlon urged as he held the two apart. "Look, you're never going to agree, but why not focus on what you have in common? Michelle, it means a lot to you that you patrol and protect this team. And Ada, you want to put everyone's fears to rest. Can't you both just agree to put your differences aside?"

"No," said both girls as they faced away from each other.

Something large came lumbering from the woods.

"Die demon!" Michelle shouted as she lunged with her sword.

"Whoa there you crazy thing!" Chef yelled as Michelle stopped just short of impaling him. "This the thanks I get for bringin' you good for nothin' brats some food!?"

Chef dropped a crate on the ground which unfolded into a picnic table covered in food. Most of the dishes were either gray or green sludge though.

"Remind me again how you haven't killed someone yet?" Ada scoffed to Michelle.

"Because I actually do have incredible self-control," Michelle replied.

"Right, silly me," Ada remarked in response.

Marlon beckoned for the rest of the team to join for the food. The group got up from the cabin and moved towards the door. Marky was bringing up the rear, but he felt someone tap on his shoulder.

"Huh?" he remarked as he craned his head.

He looked back but saw no one.

"Who's there?" he called while walking towards the back of the room.

He felt something rumbling beneath his feet. Suddenly he was pulled back away.

"Might be best to just pretend you didn't find anything," Seth said as he dragged Marky outside.

 **Confessional:**

 **Marlon-** I feel sad that Michelle and Ada can't reconcile their differences. Michelle is very strong and capable at handling the terrain, Ada is very smart and logical. Together they both could prove to be assets, but that'll be hard if they end up targeting each other.

 **Seth-** The food may not have been high cuisine, but all food is truly a gift from nature, whether at its most raw form or brought to perfection by humanity. In the end it all does the same thing in sustaining us, for that we ought to be grateful.

 **Marky-** Okay, whoever's messing with me needs to cut it out! I'm supposed to be the bad guy here, and I can't do that if I'm always looking over my shoulder! (pouts)

(Nobodies)

"Okay, my trainee," Bailey said as he pushed Rory up to a tree. "It is time to show'em what you got! Now, let's pretend that this tree just said something very insulting about Princess Kokomo. What do you do!?"

"Uh...pleasedontdothat," Rory whimpered to the tree.

"Okay, good start," Bailey said. "He's not backing down though, and now he's calling your mother a pumpkin! Are you going to take that!?"

"Y-yes?" Rory asked while glancing at Bailey.

Bailey shook his head,

"Oh d-dear," Rory stammered.

"Oh my gosh!" Emily exclaimed as she rushed over to the two. "I cannot believe that tree would be so rude to you guys! I mean it looks like a pretty innocent tree, but I guess it just goes to show you never can judge a tree from its bark. Listen, pal, you got a problem with my friends then you have a problem with me!"

"Oh uh...well thank you!" Bailey said. "But this was just a practice exercise. The tree didn't really say anything."

"Oh that is SUCH a relief!" Emily exclaimed as she hugged Bailey. "I don't think I could handle someone being so rude to my friends! Tree or otherwise!"

"Soup's on!" Chef announced as he arrived at the cabin. "And I'll thank you hoodlums for not trying to stab me!"

Chef tossed another crate onto the ground which transformed into the same picnic table, filled with various dishes of sludge.

"This stuff is disgusting," Sybil remarked.

"There are children who would give anything just to have a fraction of this to tide them over!" Terra exclaimed while slamming her fists on the table.

"Oh yeah? Don't care," Sybil replied.

"Then I guess you won't care if you go hungry today!" Terra snapped as she slapped Sybil's bowl to the ground.

"Rude," Sybil said. "Ten years bad juju!"

"I'd rather have a lifetime of bad juju than be a thorn in the wheel of progress like you!" Terra spat.

"Fine, lifetime, have it your way," Sybil said while waving her hands unenthusiastically.

 **Confessional:**

 **Emily-** The important thing about this game is that anyone can take power, doesn't matter if you're Queen Cheerleader or some ugly loser...a term which I use with the utmost affection! Bailey and Rory may look like a couple of oddballs, but that doesn't mean I'm going to just count them out yet!

 **Jeffrey-** I saw a couple guys arguing with a tree. Maybe they should have asked it to…..LEAVE them alone! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAA! LEAVE HHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH LEAVE OH MY GOD DO YOU GET IT!? LEAVE LEAVE LEAVE...LIKE AS IN LEAVES!? (throws a handful sleeves from his sleeves) Yeah yeah yeah they were...they were really...really PINING over that tree. WOOOOOAAAAH HOOO HOOO HOO OOP OOP OP YIYIYIYIYI! PINE THAT'S TOO GOOD! (falls over backwards laughing).

 **Terra-** I always hate seeing people be ungrateful for the food they get! Don't you have any idea of how much food goes to waste!? Every time I snap my fingers a dump truck worth of perfectly edible food is going to waste (snaps rapidly) But things will change oh yes, change is coming! The movement is in motion, to contaminate over 50 different Quaker Oats packing factories with shredded glass. So think about THAT the next time you give in to mass produced greed, and I think I got onto a different tangent but it's equally as important as the last!

(Legends)

The team sat at their table and ate the meal served to them.

"Mm, this is absolutely terrible," Sonica remarked.

"I actually find it to be quite fulfilling," Seth replied. "It's different, but I feel a much more pure connection to enlightenment with-"

"Ya ya, but do I care about any of that!?" Sonica scoffed. "I want something that tastes good!"

"Then I think you came to the wrong show," Marky said.

"Guys, guys," Said Marlon, "let's all just...hey what's this?"

Marlon picked up one of the plates and revealed that a note was taped underneath. He peeled it off and began to read what was written.

"Your second challenge begins now," Marlon read, "You will be scavenging the woods for three items. The first team to bring all three back to their cabin will win immunity. Losers will be sending someone out."

At the bottom of the note were three images of a golden flower, a blue mushroom with white speckles, and a long pinecone that had several spines pointed upwards.

"Well, let's get to it then!" Sonica announced.

"Perhap we ought to split up," Marlon suggested. "Cover more ground that way."

"No," Michelle stated firmly. "Getting separated has not worked well for us. We need to all stick together."

"Oh I am not losing this challenge based on your superstitions," Ada scoffed. "We absolutely need to divide and conquer. I say three teams of three."

"Yeah I'm in favor of that," Sonica said. "Anything to get away with some of these wannabe legends."

'If we split up, I won't be able to protect you if you run into trouble," Michelle continued to insist.

"And somehow I feel like you're not too torn up over my well-being," Ada remarked in reply.

 **Confessional:**

 **Marlon-** Splitting up might be the best, not just for the challenge but for the sake of this team. I wish we could all get along, but it's clearly not happening, so us spread out might at least minimize conflict.

 **Adrian-** Well this challenge shouldn't be too hard, I'm always sent out to find hard to get things for Miss Evertide. One time I had to retrieve a brand of shampoo that hadn't been produced in over ten years. I found it, lodged in a grate in the backroom of a Wal-Mart. Oh they weren't too happy about that, but the important thing is that I completed my job as always!

 **Ada-** Living in fear is not going to get us anywhere. Yes, we're all going to have to be careful, but it just doesn't make sense to have nine people all searching in the same area. If we continue to play like that then we'll only have ourselves to blame when we vote again.

(Nobodies)

This team was also working through their meal.

"I'm not sure how many nutrients are even in this stuff," Chloe remarked as she stirred around her bowl with concern.

"It'll have to do," Darren sighed.

"I don't know what you're all complaining about," Gloria remarked. "Somedays I just eat nothing and I'm fine."

"That doesn't sound healthy at all," Chloe replied.

"It sounds downright destructive," Terra said. "You need to stop destroying your body like that!"

"I can do whatever I want with my body," Gloria protested.

"You can say that again," Sybil jabbed.

"She said I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT WITH MY BODY!" Jeffrey shouted. "How was that!? Want to say it one more time!?"

"Kill yourself," Sybil sneered to Jeffrey.

"U-um, excuse me?" Rory tried to speak up.

"Well I for one am DISGUSTED that someone would so willingly reject food provided for them, damage their own body, all well children in poverty are suffering!" Terra snapped as she grabbed the bowl, stepped onto the table and slammed the sludge into Gloria's face. "Eat it, ingrate!"

Bailey, noticing that Rory was still trying to get the group's attention announced, "I think our friend here has something to say."

"Yes?" Zach asked.

"Well uh...it's just...what's that?" Rory said as he pointed to a note that was stuck to the bottom of one of the bowls.

Zach pulled it out and read the same message that Marlon had read.

"The challenge has already started!?" Chloe exclaimed as she stood up abruptly. "We need to get a move on!"

"Maybe we should start with a plan," Darren suggested.

"I love it!" Gloria exclaimed as she put her arms around Darren, accidentally covering him with some of the green paste that had gotten over her.

"No time for that, who knows how long we've already wasted!" Chloe exclaimed. "It's not hard, just fan out and find these things!"

"There's always time for a plan," Bailey stated.

However Chloe was already running straight into the woods.

"Not for her, apparently," Zach remarked.

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** Sure, there's times when you need to sit down and plan things out, but in a challenge like this we'd just be wasting time. We can't afford to micromanage here. We need this win, and that means it's time to take action without dallying!

 **Sybil-** This team is giving off a lot of bad juju, if we lose I'd say it'd be pretty deserved.

 **Bailey-** You always want to have a plan, otherwise you're just running in blind. It's like the time when Gentle Spring wanted to throw a surprise birthday party all on her own. But she forgot the frosting. Should have had a plan (shakes head).

(Legends)

As planned, the group had divided into three separate parties. Heading in one direction were Seth, Sonica, and Ada. Ada brushed aside the thick ferns that covered the way.

"Let me tell you if there's one thing I just cannot stand, it's wannabes!" Sonica said as she wrestled with the vegetation, trying to clear a path. "Oooh, everyone thinks they're so special. 'Look at me, I'm on reality TV, love me! Shower me in attention!' it's absolutely disgusting!"

"Mhm," Ada said unenthusiastically.

The red-headed girl walked past Sonica, who had only managed to get herself totally tangled in ivy. Sonica snapped off the vine and stumbled after Ada.

"It's a sad world we live in today, every single nobody just thinks they can bypass the entire talent portion," Sonica continued to rant. "I mean take a look at this team. 'Legends?' Yeah right! How many of these whobodies are going to be remembered in a month!? Hm!? Who!?"

"I really couldn't tell you," Ada said, trying to examine the surroundings for any of the items they were searching for.

Ada just saw rows of green, tangled in itself and wrapped around the trunks of trees.

"Exactly!" Sonica said. "I can't tell you one thing 'Legendary' about this band of jokers! And don't get me started on little miss Stardust. Bringing along her assistant, how desperate can you get? That is a new level of pathetic! Pathetic doesn't even sum it up!"

"Well, I completely agree," Ada said, "in fact-"

Sonica tried to lean against a tree, but ended up tripping over a root and stumbling backwards into a thicket of brambles.

"I'm alright, I'm real cool!" she said as she struggled to get back up.

"As I was saying," Ada continued, "I'd go so far as to say that Mimi has an unfair advantage with her own personal vote doubler-"

"Hold that phone!" Sonica exclaimed as she held a finger up. "Where'd the scrawny one get to!?"

"Seth? He's just...oh," Ada remarked as she turned around and saw that Seth was nowhere in sight. "Well where could have gotten to?"

"Maybe a monster ate him up!" Sonica cackled.

"No, no, no, don't you even start with me," Ada huffed.

"Chill out, I'm sure you just got on some hippie trippy headspace journey," Sonica shrugged.

"A what now?" Ada asked.

"A hippie trippy-you know, getting lost and finding yourself, it's all nonsense if you ask me!" Sonica explained.

"Actually, I'm up here," Seth said.

The two girls looked up to see Seth at a staggering height, clinging to a branch near the top of a tree.

"What the hell are you doing!?" Ada gasped.

"That's a damn good way to get yourself injured!" Sonica added.

"I wanted to be closer to the stars," Seth said. "The trees feel safer up here."

"Star!? You dumb, kid!? It's the middle of the day!" Sonica scoffed.

"The stars are still there, just hidden by the blue sheets of the sky," Seth replied.

"Hate to side with the loon, but he's actually right," Ada added.

"Shut it!" Sonica scoffed. "I didn't come here for a science lesson, I came here to win Total Drama Legends vs Nobodies! Now get on down here!"

"Wait, wait, wait," Ada said. "Maybe he's onto something. Seth, can you see anything up there?"

"I see...trees, a sea of the forest, leaves, needles, clinging to their mothers, yet yearning to flee to the air," Seth recited airily.

"I meant for the challenge!" Ada said. "Do you see any of the things we need to find!?"

"Hm...hmmm...hmm…" Seth hummed thoughtfully as he craned his neck.

"Brilliant idea," Sonica remarked sarcastically to Ada.

"Hm...I don't see anything," Seth said finally.

"Well it was worth a shot," Ada sighed.

"I did come across this at the top of the tree earlier though," Seth declared as he revealed the spiny pinecone.

 **Confessional:**

 **Ada-** All Sonica does is complain, it's really not all that enjoyable. However, she may prove a use yet! She's clearly easily irritated, and if I can twist that to my favor then I may be able to get her to vote exactly who I need her to vote.

 **Sonica-** You mean to tell me that paper bag actually did something right!? Well color me impressed, the others had better take a hint!

 **Seth-** (holding pinecone) This is a gift from nature. It is a kindness, but it has been blessed to me. I thank the earth for choosing to favor me in this way.

(Nobodies)

After Chloe had run off, the group had divided into smaller teams to search the woods. One such group consisted of Rory, Bailey, Zach and Sybil. The group clung together nervously as they trekked through the ominous forest. A gust of wind created a hollow moaning sound that followed them.

"I don't like this," Rory said as he shivered.

"This isn't exactly paradise for any of us," Zach remarked. "But at least the sun's out this time."

"It's like Gentle Breeze always says, sometimes the scariest things can turn out to be nothing when you get a good look at them," Bailey said.

"Sometimes they're not though," Rory stammered. "Sometimes you get a good look at them and realize it's even worse than you ever imagined."

"Mm...well I guess uh, that's true too," Bailey said awkwardly, "but uh-"

"Oh man, we're all gonna d-die, aren't we!?" Rory said as he cowered and covered his head.

"No one is dying," Zach assured. "Look, sure, there's some freaky stuff out there, but there's no way they'd let anything actually hurt us too bad."

The group were quiet as they heard a savage howling in the distance.

"W-what was that?" Rory sobbed.

"Maybe it was just the wind…" Zach said, clearly not convinced.

"I don't think so," Rory replied.

"Okay, okay, this chitchat is getting us nowhere," Sybil spoke up. "So clearly it's up to me to uuuuh do a thing. I'm gonna uh do that thing where I talk to the spirits or something, you know what, don't ask questions, it's better if you don't understand! The uh, spirits don't like strangers, so just don't ask questions, just shut up and let me do the thing!"

"Okay...do the thing then," Zach said uncertainly.

"Shut up, don't rush me, this takes some finesse!" Sybil remarked.

The girl stepped forward and held out her hands.

"Oh spirits, protect us from the evils of the world and uh, other bad stuff!" Sybil said.

She then waved her hands in the air that was likely much more graceful in her mind than it was in reality.

"Okay, there you go," she said, turning back to the group. "It's one hundred percent safe no-"

Suddenly a tree branch snapped off from above and landed directly on top of Sybil.

"Monster!" Rory screamed as he jumped onto Bailey's back.

"Holy crapballs!" Sybil exclaimed as she shoved the branch off of her. "That hurt like a bloody tractor!"

"Is this from personal experience?" Zach asked.

"Okay, okay, I know a sign when I see one," Sybil said. "This is clearly a sign from uh...the Goddess of the Earth. Uh you know, the big tree lady, you know who I'm talking about right?'

"Mother Nature?" Bailey asked.

"Gaia," Zach suggested.

"Grandmother Willow?" Rory offered.

"Well which one is it!? The earth goddess!? Goddess of Earth, not that hard to figure out," Sybil remarked.

"Well that depends on what religion you're asking," Zach said.

"Why the hell do they have to make this so damn complicated!?" Sybil scoffed. "Okay you know what, forget it, point is someone doesn't want us going that way, so let's try this way!"

Sybil turned and took a step to the left. Her foot sank into a pit though and as she pulled it out, she found her leg covered in poison ivy.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow!" she screamed as she tried to pull the brambles off, only to get her hands covered in the prickly rash as well.

"I take it Mother Earth doesn't want us going that way either?" Zach remarked.

"No, this attack on my life was clearly stemming from the dark side, not in the style of a our benevolent earth goddess at all," Sybil said, "I think Satan is keeping us out. However, that leaves us with only one option."

Sybil turned to point to the right direction.

"So uh...since we already know that it's safe, why don't you go ahead?" Sybil offered the men.

The three boys glanced at each other uncertainly.

"Well, someone's got to get a move on," Zach said as he stepped in the other direction.

No harm seemed to befall Zach.

"Seems all clear," he called.

"Obviously," Sybil said as she followed after him, "The spirits never lead me as-OW!"

Sybil ended up slamming her foot right into a hidden rock. She hopped on one foot in clear pain.

"Watch your step," Zach remarked uselessly.

 **Confessional:**

 **Zach-** Sybil is a damn mess, but at least she's trying...well sort of? Whatever she's doing, it's more than Rory who just cries and hides at the slightest sign of danger. What is he even doing out here?

 **Sybil-** I sacrifice so much for this team. You know what, I may not be a real mystic, but with the amount of tears and blood I'm putting into this, I might as well get honorary recognition!

 **Bailey-** Things might be spooky, but this is just like a scavenger hunt! A very spooky scavenger hunt, but the fun is still there! Right Rojo!? (electronic bark is heard from his pocket) Rojo just loves his scavenger hunts!

(Legends)

Marlon, Grace, and Marky were journeying in a separate part of the forest. They had approached a rocky section as they walked up a slight hill. Marlon took the lead and was overturning each rock in search for any of their coveted items. Marky seemed to be in thought of his own though as he fell behind. He walked up to Grace and pulled her behind a boulder.

"Am I being kidnapped?" Grace asked calmly.

"No no, I just want to talk," Marky said.

"Can I still scream?" Grace asked.

"I'd prefer if you didn't," Marky said.

"I've been waiting for a good chance to use my scream though," Grace said sadly.

"Keep waiting," Marky replied.

'I'll try," Grace sighed.

"Look, look, I just think we've got the perfect chance to talk strategy here," Marky said.

"Oh okay, I am happy to help," Grace said. "I believe our strategy for this challenge ought to be looking in undercover sections that can still support life-"

"Not the challenge, strategy for the game!" Marky corrected.

"Hm," Grace said as she tapped the side of her face thoughtfully. "Perhaps you can clarify...I thought that winning the challenge would be good strategy for the game."

"Well sure, but we also have to prepare for a loss," Marky said. "Right now we know we can count on Ada and Seth, but the rest are still up in the air. This is our chance to try to pull Marlon over to our side."

"Ah yes, persuasion, I have done much studying on how to persuade others into agreeing with you," Grace said. "It is regarded as a very important human interaction skill. The most effective routes are exchanging for desirable offers, or threats of negative outcomes. Since we don't have much desirable to offer, perhaps we can threaten him with severe pain if he does not comply with our wishes."

"What? No!" Marky said. 'That will just make him even less likely to want to work with us!"

"Hm, I see. In that case, we shall threaten severe pain unless he doesn't do what we want. Then he will be compelled to do what we want," Grace offered. "This is known as reverse psychology and is an effective technique when it comes to persuasion."

'Okay, you know what, I'm glad you've studied the matter, but I've got some relevant experience here, so why don't you leave it to me?" Marky said. "Just follow my lead!"

"I can do that," Grace agreed.

The two emerged from their hiding spot and followed after Marlon.

"There you guys are," Marlon said in relief. "Did you find anything?"

"Sadly no," Marky said, "but while we were all here together, I thought it might be a good chance to talk."

"Of course," Marlon said. "What's on your mind?"

"Well, I was just thinking, if we lose, you know, if things don't work out," Marky said, "We have to vote someone, right? Well I was wondering how you felt about Sonica? She's always very rude to me."

"Yes! Very rude," Grace agreed. "I feel a great amount of discomfort by her disparaging comments, to the point where I do not feel personally safe in this current environment."

"Really?" Marlon asked in shock.

"Clearly our poor friend Grace has been very sensitive to her negative attitude," Marky said. "Always calling people losers and beneath her? How do you think that's going to affect someone who's clearly had very limited social interaction?"

"Yes! My social growth has been notably stunted due to encountering a lack of support from aggressive presences on this team," Grace said. "Just in case you have not noticed, I have kept my eyes open and maintained eye contact for the duration of this conversation as a way of proving that I am trustworthy individual and telling the truth."

"Can we just have a sidebar for a second?" Marky said as he held up a hand to Marlon.

The boy pulled Grace aside and said, "Grace, you can't tell people you're trying to use social manipulation on them. It ruins the entire effect if they know what you're doing."

"Is that so?" Grace exclaimed as she pulled out a notepad.

"Uh look guys, maybe we could continue this conversation later," Marlon said. "I want to get back to this challenge."

"If you walk away, you will undergo severe violence," Grace threatened calmly, before Marky covered her mouth.

"Uh, yes, what she means is uh...we saw something scary in the woods so yes let's keep moving before it gets us!" Marky said.

"Oh well why didn't you say so?" Marlon replied. "Come on, let's get a move on!"

 **Confessional:**

 **Grace-** (reviewing notes) I have learned a lot about social manipulation, when I return home I will be a very adjusted normal teenager.

 **Marky-** Soo...this isn't going quite as well as I had hoped. Sonica should be a fine target, she just pushes people away. The problem is, I need to make sure no one that I need makes themselves a bigger target.

 **Marlon-** I'm all for talking strategy, but I'd rather save that till after we know if we've lost or not. If we waste too much time worrying about losing we'll miss our shot to actually pull off a win.

(Nobodies)

"I'm sooo glad that we got to stick together," Gloria cooed as she clung to Darren's arm, the two of them walking through the woods together.

"Well uh, it's not that surprising," Darren said, "You never left my side."

"I know, I'm just too clingy for my own good, but what can I say, I can't let go of something good when I've got it," Gloria remarked while coiling a strand of her hair around her finger.

"Except for when you were with Zach?" Darren pointed out.

"Oh that," Gloria laughed hollowly. "That was just a little bit silly business, he doesn't actually mean anything to me. Not like what we have between us."

Gloria traced her fingers along Darren's shoulders.

"Well, I am also glad that we get to spend this time together!" Emily exclaimed as she walked up next to the couple.

Gloria sent an incredibly stank glare at Emily.

"Oh it's you, I thought you went with one of the other groups," Gloria said.

"Nah, I thought this would be the perfect chance for us to get to know each other!" Emily squealed. "Okay, I have the perfect set of ice breaker questions, for off, what's your favorite movie!?"

"I don't really watch a lot of movies," Darren remarked with a shrug.

"Yeah your icebreaker failed! Failure!" Gloria taunted. "Of course you would have known it was doomed to flop if you actually bothered to get to know Darren like I did."

"I'm pretty sure I never mentioned that to you either," Darren said.

"You didn't!?" Gloria said with an exaggerated gasp. "Well I guess I just figured it out on my own. Once you get that connection with someone, it's easy to fill in the blanks."

"Hey, it's all good, I'm glad to learn that about you!" Emily said with her beaming smile. "And I actually agree, movies are overrated nowadays. Who needs to set through another cheap remake when we've got all of the real world to entertain us."

"That's inspirational as hell," Gloria said dryly. "Why don't you go post it on Facebook so you can get some Likes?"

"Haha, you're so funny!" Emily squealed. "Okay though, I have plenty more ice-breakers to work through though. What's your favorite icecream flavor? Or how about, who was your first celebrity crush? OR oooh here's a good one, what was your first pet's name?"

"Why don't YOU answer some of these questions and we'll just pretend to listen?" Gloria suggested.

Gloria then noticed that Darren was climbing up a nearby tree.

"Ooh, that's a great idea, babe, let's get a nice romantic view...away from the riff-raff!" Gloria said.

She tried to climb after him, however, after an awkward scramble along the bark just ended up landing right back down on the ground.

"Great climbing, Darren! A Plus Effort!" Emily called.

"Okay, why don't you just give it a rest!?" Gloria hissed at Emily. "Darren and I are together, like together together, like meant to be forever! So your desperate attempts at trying to steal his attention is just plain pathetic and it's time you got a clue!"

"Oh my gosh, you're so right! I totally need to get a clue, I'm like so clueless, I'm like that clueless friend, like I never have any idea what's going on. It's pretty bad, I think I have a problem, but thank you for telling me how you feel!" Emily said, never losing your smile.

"No!" Gloria snapped. "You're still doing it. You're being fake! And everyone sees right through you!"

"Me? Fake? Oh no no no, you've got it all wrong!" Emily gasped. "I mean every word I said."

"Okay then, what if I told you my favorite movie was the Titanic?" Gloria asked.

"Oh my gosh, ME TOO! See we have so much in common!" Emily exclaimed while clapping her hands.

"Except you just said that you thought movies were overrated! And I don't even like Titanic that much," Gloria exclaimed while pointing an accusatory finger.

"I…" Emily began, though no words followed, she just stood silently without breaking her smile.

Her eyes though showed panic as she desperately tried to think of something to say. Suddenly she was hit on the head by a pinecone.

"Look what I found!" Darren announced.

"Great job, Darren!" Emily exclaimed as she held up the pinecone victoriously. "We are totally winning this thing, I just know it!"

 **Confessional:**

 **Gloria-** Sometimes you need to bring out the cat claws to really put a fraud in their place! I don't enjoy it, but someone has to do it (sighs dramatically) Beneath her saccharine exterior, Emily is an insecure girl waiting to crack. If I can push her in the right direction, she'll do the rest of the work and get herself in a hole she can't get out of.

 **Emily-** I can't have people thinking I'm fake, I just can't! (cries) My entire game will be ruined if that happens and I cannot be eliminated so early! Well, it's clear what needs to be done now. Gloria has to go.

 **Darren-** Those girls sure like talking a lot. And that's fine, it's just not really my thing (shrugs)

(Legends)

Michelle marched through the woods while Mimi and Adrian followed from behind.

"Oh wow, I'm really getting quite the workout, aren't I!?" Mimi exclaimed, completely out of breath. "This is sure to be sore in the morning."

"We can still see the cabin from here," Michelle scoffed. "Perhaps you'd like to head back if this is your definition of exertion."

"Don't you dare talk to Miss Evertide like that!" Adrian huffed. "She is putting every ounce of strength into just keeping up! However, that being said, it's not a bad idea Miss Evertide. You've clearly done your part, let's let the others worry about this."

"No, no, no, Adrian," Mimi insisted, "You know what happens to characters that just 'go back to the cabin?' They never make it far and I refuse to play that role!"

"Then keep up because we've got plenty of grounds to scour," Michelle said as she never broke her stride.

"Well you heard her, Adrian, no pain, no gain," Mimi said as she jogged after Michelle.

"Oh Miss Evertide, I don't like the sound of that!" Adrian sighed as he followed Mimi.

"Now, if I were a plot necessary item, where would I be hiding?" Mimi murmured to herself. "Adrian, do you see any conspicuous rocks in the area?"

"I see plenty of rocks, but none of them seem particularly conspicuous," Adrian panted.

"Hm, it's probably not that then," Mimi said. "What about this lighting? Do you feel like it's pointing us in any particular direction?"

"Um…" Adrian said as he walked in a circle. "Not really."

"Well that's a no-go too then," Mimi sighed.

"Hurry up, you two!" Michelle called. "We're not going to find anything back there. I checked."

"How did you check, you just walked past it!?" Adrian accused.

"I checked as I walked past," Michelle said. "I am able to multitask and I have an astute sense of observation."

"Ooh, you hear that, Adrian, an astute sense of observation? Clearly we're in good hands!" Mimi exclaimed with a clap.

As the two caught up with Michelle, they found that the ground started to turn to mud. Adrian was clearly repulsed as his feet splashed through the earth.

"Enough is enough!" Adrian exclaimed as he grabbed Mimi by the arm and pulled her back. "We cannot have you damaging your precious skin. You have no idea of what that could do to your career! Half of your offers will be taken off the table in a snap!"

"Well any offer that had a prerequisite of 'Cannot ever get dirty' isn't a role I would accept anyways," Mimi said.

"Besides, you're going to need to get a little dirty if we're going to get across that," Michelle said as she pointed to a river.

"No! No, out of the question, completely out of the question! Not happening!" Adrian exclaimed as he stretched out his hands to block the way. "Miss Evertide, think about the consequences! If you subject yourself to that much unfiltered...filth, there's no turning back!"

"Adrian , you are being adorable, but this is part of the job that I signed on for," Mimi said. "Whether it's real dirt, or studio orchestrated dirt, I'm going to have to dabble in a little filth."

Mimi took a few steps forward and let her legs sink into the mud.

"See? This is fine," she said.

However, upon trying to take another step, she suddenly slipped and fell on her back. She slid along the slippery surface and plummeted straight into the rushing water.

"Oh my God!" Adrian screamed. "She's dead! You killed her! She was a national treasure and you just let her die! I hope you've got deep pockets, because as soon as we get back to civilization I am going to sue you! And let me tell you, those studio lawyers don't mess around!"

Michelle responded by shoving Adrian into the mud as well. The boy rolled through the mess and splashed into the water as well. However as Michelle approached the water a large figure coated in dripping mud emerged and stomped towards her. Michelle drew her sword.

"I made it!" Mimi exclaimed suddenly as she cleared her face from the mud. "I survived!"

"Congratulations," Michelle said sternly.

"And I saved Adrian too!" Mimi added as another lump of the mud was revealed to be Adrian clinging to her body.

As Mimi tried to shake off the mud over her body, she noticed something stuck in Adrian's hair. She pulled on a vine and ended up revealing a golden flower that had gotten tangled in his hair.

"Well, well, looks like we got what we came for after all," she noted. "See? What did I tell you about getting dirty?"

"I think I'm going to be sick," Adrian moaned.

 **Confessional:**

 **Mimi-** You never find what you're looking for by playing safe. That's exactly what I hope to accomplish out here. I feel alive! I am actually helping people succeed and I am getting dirty to do it! This is what life is all about!

 **Adrian-** Miss Evertide is clearly getting out of control! She is completely neglecting the consequences of her actions, she is no ordinary person, she isn't subject to ordinary scrutiny. A mud caked starlet is exactly the sort of photo that will find its way into the tabloid or heaven forbid, the internet! And after that, it's game-over, she'll be nothing but a joke!

 **Michelle-** Hm...good, the sooner we can get this quest done, the sooner we can head back to safety.

(Nobodies)

Terra and Jeffrey were currently walking through a path in the woods together, though with each step he took, Jeffrey's shoes emitted a honking noise. The sound was clearly frustrating Terra who was gritting her teeth, but holding her tongue.

"Okay, okay, now HERE'S a joke you've probably never heard before and it will have you in stitches!" Jeffrey exclaimed.

"Mm," Terra grunted.

"Are you ready for this? Ahem, what is the difference between a lemon and duckling?" Jeffrey posed.

"Numerous aspects," Terra replied.

"One's a...GffffhaHHAHAHAKHAK HAK okay okay sorry I just...okay one's a MmmmPphhahahahaAAAAAAA HOY HOY HOY! Wait, I can do this, just let me get myself toge-Waaaaahhhahaahah Eyekeyekeykey! It's just too funny for me..I can't breathe!" Jeffrey shrieked while slapping Terra on the back obnoxiously.

"Don't touch me," Terra snapped.

"Oh okay, I'm not touching you," Jeffrey said while lingering his hand just above Terra's shoulder.

Terra clutched his hand and squeezed.

"You said no touching, I'm not touching you!" Jeffrey cackled. "Okay, okay, here's another one! Knock knock!"

"Who's. There?" Terra said icily.

"THE PUNCHLINE!" Jeffrey screamed as his glove extended and punched Terra in the face, knocking her into a tree. "AAAAAHAHAHAH! GET IT!? DO YOU GET IT!? THE PUNCHLINE!? GAAAAFUWFUWFUW! Because...because there's a line in the glove...that extends with...Gfffffhhahahahahah WITH A PUNCH! AAAAAA CAW CAW CAW, THIS IS JUST TOO FUNNY!"

"I am going to kill you!" Terra screamed. "Let's see how easy it is to laugh when I've stuffed your ridiculous shoes in your mouth!"

Before Terra could make good on her threats though, she noticed a speckled mushroom sprouting near the roots of a tree.

"Wait, this is what we're looking for!" she exclaimed as she held it up victoriously. "We found-AAAAH!"

"We found AAAAAH, eh!? Well that's not something you find every day!" Jeffrey exclaimed as he walked over to Terra.

As he joined the girl, he realized what had frightened her. Hanging above them, was Chloe's body with a noose tied around her neck and tied to a branch from a tree.

"Well, well, looks like Chloe is having a nice time just HANGING OUT!" Jeffrey exclaimed. 'No but seriously, this is pretty messed up. WE'RE GOING TO DIE!"

"We have to help her!" Terra exclaimed.

Terra leapt up the tree and began scaling the branches. She moved with a desperate frantic speed to reach her teammate.

"Hang on, Chloe, you're going to be alright," Terra assured.

"Ummmm...crazy lady who wants to kill me!?" Jeffrey said nervously from the ground. "I think we have a new problem!"

Jeffrey had noticed a pair of red eyes in the distance. Even with the sun out, the figure seemed to be obscured in the shade. What Jeffrey could tell though was that it was vaguely humanoid, though clearly misshapen. He could also see it moving towards them.

"Whatever it is, we can deal with it once we make sure Chloe is okay," Terra said while untying the knot around the branch.

"Yeah uuuuh...I'm not too sure about that," Jeffrey said as he tugged at his bowtie nervously.

Terra untied the knot and Chloe plummeted downward. Jeffrey outstretched his arms and managed to catch her safely.

"Well, fancy you just dropping in like that!" Jeffrey said. "Now let's make like a Political Candidate and….RUUUUUUUNNNN!"

Jeffrey took off bolting, just as the ominous creature began to emerge into the daylight. He didn't risk looking back though, with Chloe in his arms the clown just ran forward as fast as he could. Terra swung from the branch to another tree and slid down to the ground. She followed Jeffrey, also refusing to look back. The group ended up running right over a cliff without realizing it. In an instant they were tumbling downwards and dropped straight into a pool of water.

"Ggggfugh!" Choe gagged as she rose to the surface. "What is going on!?"

"You tell me!" Terra exclaimed as she joined the girl. "We found you just hanging from your neck, thank god you're okay! What happened to you!?"

"Ugh," Chloe groaned. "I thought I found one of those pinecones but...something grabbed me, then it all went dark."

"Terrible!" Terra gasped.

"But it's not all bad," Chloe said as she took off her hat to reveal the pinecone. "I managed to snag this."

"Well that's some good news," Terra said. "Wait...look over there!"

Terra pointed to the bank where a single gold flower had sprouted.

"I think that's the last thing we're looking for!" she said.

"Well, well, well!" Jeffrey exclaimed as he emerged from the water and clutched the flower. "This reminds me of a joke! What did the florist robber say when he was caught!?"

"Uh...what?" Chloe asked.

"I would have gotten away with it too if it weren't for you PETALING kids!" Jeffrey exclaimed as he crushed the flower in his hands and tossed out the petals. "Oooooooh yeeeeeees eeeeeeeee iiiii ehehehehehehe!"

"YOU ARE DEAD, YOU MOTHERFU-" Terra screamed as she choked Jeffrey and held him under water.

"JUST KIDDING, JUST KIDDING!" Jeffrey pleased once he was able to get his head above the water. "No more Netflix for you, because you clearly have NO CHILL!"

Jeffrey then reached into his nose and pulled out the intact flower.

"Voila! Good as new!" he announced.

"I'm going to be holding onto this now," Terra said. "Now let's get back to the cabin while we still can!"

 **Confessional:**

 **Jeffrey-** Today I just about DYED...my underpants yellow! Because of the fact that I almost DIED!

 **Terra-** Seeing Chloe dangling like that, I could practically feel my heart stop. This isn't a game, no matter what Chris says. There's something very dangerous out there, and all of our lives are at risk!

 **Chloe-** Alright, evil spirits, if you're going to mess with me then you should have finished the job, cause now I'm coming for you!

Chris was currently waiting at the Nobodies Cabin. He held a Walkie-Talkie and communicated with Chef by the Legends Cabin.

"Hey uh, Chef," Chris said. "Did we have a creepy serial killing ambiguously inhuman monster in the budget?"

"Uuh...no Chris," Chef replied.

"Right then! We never had this conversation," Chris said.

"Got it, Chris!" Chef replied. "Oh, looks like the Legends are getting back!"

Michelle marched up to Chef, presenting the golden flower.

"Well you got one down," Chef stated.

"Just one!? What is taking the others so long!?" Michelle scoffed.

"I'm sure they're trying their very best," Mimi assured.

"We've got some people coming this way too," Chris said into the Walkie Talkie.

Darren, Gloria, and Emily returned with the pinecone in hands.

"We did it, we did it!" Emily cheered.

"You did one third," Chris said. "There's still two other prizes we're waiting on."

"Oh Chris, I think the Legends are getting the lead here!" Chef said as someone else approached the Legends camp.

'Outta the way, winners coming through!" Sonica announced as she presented the pinecone. "See? That's what I'm talking about! Winning just like that! Taking care of business like it's no one's business!"

"Good job to you too!" Mimi exclaimed while offering a thumbs-up.

"This is going to be a close one!" Chris said, "But I see some movement over here..."

Sybil, Zach, Rory, and Bailey all emerged, looking completely disastrous.

"Whatever Goddess you were following...I think she let us down," Zach sighed in exhaustion.

"The Goddess of the Earth works in mysterious ways," Sybil said. "Perhaps the Goddess Rhea is punishing you for your sacreligious claims!"

"It's Gaia," Zach corrected.

"That's exactly the kind of sacrilege that got us into this mess!" Sybil argued.

"So you guys found nothing?" Chris asked. "Not looking so good. Chef? How are the Legends doing?"

"No sign of any of the others," Chef said.

"Don't believe this," Sonica grumbled. "What's the hold up!?"

"Well, here comes some more Nobodies!" Chris said.

A drenched Jeffrey, Terra, and Chloe returned with the flower pinecone, and mushroom.

"Three for one!" Chloe announced proudly.

"Show-offs," Gloria scoffed.

"Technically you only needed the mushroom and flower, but I appreciate the extra credit," Chris said, "The Nobodies win their second immunity!"

"Wait, wait!" Marlon exclaimed as he ran back to the cabin with Grace and Marky following behind. "I got the mushroom!"

"Too late, punko!" Chef exclaimed. "You guys are voting somebody outta here again tonight!"

 **Confessional:**

 **Gloria-** Um, what is Chloe's problem trying to make the rest of us look bad? So rude, stop trying so hard.

 **Sonica-** Totally miserable, and it's no surprise at all that the last group to arrive back here had that skunk shrimp and brainless barbie. Or as I like to call them, the fodder!

 **Bailey-** See?! You just gotta believe in yourself. Granted, our group didn't really contribute anything at all..but it all worked out!

 **Adrian-** Miss Evertide put her career on the line and we still have to vote!? There must be some mistake here, this is all wrong!

 **Rory-** Any day where I'm still alive is a win for me, even if I just continued to stay a useless waste of space! I'd rather be a living waste of space than a dead hero!

 **Grace-** We did not win the challenge, so now we will be manipulating people into making decisions that clearly do not benefit them. How unfortunate.

(Legends)

Marky, Seth, and Grace were hiding behind a rock as they watched others from their team step into the cabin.

"Hm, that's not a good sign, those five talking together," Marky remarked. "Let's hope it's nothing serious."

"This soil is soft and filled with hope," Seth said as he ran his hand through the dirt.

"That's great, but maybe let's try to focus right now," Marky said.

"What are you three doing back here?" Ada remarked as she found the three.

"Well obviously we're having a strategy powwow," Marky said. "We can't just be out in the open."

"Fine, fine, but count me in," Ada said. "I think those five are ready to turn on each other."

"That is good," Grace stated.

"You bet it is," Ada said.

"I think we were really getting somewhere with Marlon," Marky said.

Grace just shook her head in reply.

"Okay well...we were starting to get somewhere, maybe," Marky said.

"Don't worry about Marlon," Ada said. "The real one we need to pull over is Sonica. She's getting fed up with Mimi and Adrian. She will go for them."

"And then we sell her out and get her outta here!" Marky exclaimed.

"What? No!" Ada snapped. "If we do that then we risk them comparing notes and turning it right back onto us. We need to get Sonica to feel safe enough to make a move and then jump on that."

"Sonica hates me I'm pretty sure," Marky said. "She's never going to support anything that keeps me around."

"Don't doubt me," Ada said as she took off her glasses to wipe them. "I know what I'm working with here, just leave it to me."

Ada walked away, but Marky turned back to Seth and Grace.

"I don't like the sound of that," Marky said. "And I'm not about to just put my fate all in Ada's hands."

"You fate belongs to you and you alone," Seth stated.

"You get me," Marky said with an affirmative point. "Let's be ready to keep working on the others."

 **Confessional:**

 **Ada-** We're playing with fire here, but the last thing I want here is to scare the other five into sticking together. Right now they don't feel threatened by any of those yahoos, but if they start acting crazy then we could end up missing out shot to blow this whole thing up.

 **Marky-** I don't trust anyone fully, I have to be ready to backstab everyone in this game, but I also have to expect the same from all of them. Sure, maybe Ada is telling the truth, but I'm not just going to sit by and trust that she'll keep this off of me.

 **Seth-** The soil is ripe with potential. We could grow grass that will serve us well...or we can end up with nothing but twisted earth. These choices make all the difference.

Inside the cabin, Mimi, Adrian, Marlon, Sonica, and Michelle were all meeting together.

"Alright, alright, folks, there is no doubt at all in my mind on what needs to happen here," Sonica announced. "Who were the two weakest performers today? Why none other than El Skunko and the Fish Out of Water, I'm sure Marlon here can tell us all about how they slowed him down!"

"Well-" Marlon began.

"But please don't, my ears were not made for failure!" Sonica interrupted, holding a finger to his lips. "There are a very select amount of things that I want to hear, so please don't waste your breath even triggering my memories on the levels of incompetence they brought to the table today. This doesn't need to be difficult, people, we have a majority right here, and we can vote out the weakest links. So let's do it!"

"I will be voting for Ada," Michelle stated.

Sonica pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration.

"Woman, listen to me here, we've lost two challenges now, and I don't wanna lose anymore," Sonica said. "You may not like Ada, but we need to work as a team here. She's at least able to carry her weight. Marky is nothing but trouble, and Grace...does she even know where she is!?"

"I will be voting for Ada," Michelle said as she turned to the door.

"Do not walk away, we're not done here!" Sonica called.

"Oh dear, it looks like we might just have to agree to disagree," Mimi said.

"Now we're not going to be doing that," Sonica said. "If Michelle stray votes then we could be setting ourselves up for disaster."

"I think we can make sure Ada votes with us," Marlon said. "She seems much more level-headed. Honestly, I was hesitant to bring this up, but I'm thinking she might make a better companion than Michelle. Sure, we can keep Michelle around for strength, but Ada could be a better head to strategize with."

"Agreed on all points," Sonica said. "Let me talk to her."

"Ooh, do you want me to help!?" Mimi asked.

"Please don't," Sonica said.

"How about the three of us go and try to work on the others?" Marlon offered to Adrian and Mimi. "At the very least, we can try to keep them from targeting out core."

 **Confessional:**

 **Sonica-** I should not have to explain this to people, but I have to remind myself that some of them have never had to work for a dime, so they have no respect for the importance of carrying your weight! Losing twice is no coincidence, we've got some weak links that need to be shown to the door!

 **Marlon-** Michelle is great for bringing her strength in challenges and keeping us safe from any of the dangers in the forest, but as far as strategy goes...she's not really interested in being a team player. There's not much point in bringing her into discussions if she's just going to do her own thing anyways. I think our best bet now is to reel Ada in before it's too late.

 **Mimi-** There is a lot going on right now, and I would be lying if I said I understood all of it, but I am trying to play my part and you know what I think I'm keeping up.

As Sonica exited the cabin, Ada walked up to her.

"Just who I was looking for," Ada said.

"What a coincidence, just who I was looking for!" Sonica echoed.

"I was hoping we might be able to continue our conversation from before," Ada said.

"Of course!" Sonica said. "There's a lot of freeloaders on this team, I'll take any chance I can get to spend some time with someone who knows what they're doing!"

"Yes, well, that would be me," Ada said.

"Surely you can understand what needs to be done here," Sonica said. "We need to keep the team strong and vote out one of Grace and Marky. They are holding us back."

"Actually, I had something else in mind," Ada said.

"Oh here we go," Sonica said as she threw up her hands.

"We need to break up Mimi and Adrian," Ada said.

"Oooh...I'm listening," Sonica suddenly changed her tone. "Those two need a real dose of reality and fast."

"It's not like they're bringing too much more on the challenge front anyways," Ada said. "And let's be real, Adrian is always going to vote how Mimi says. Is that fair?"

"Hell no!" Sonica exclaimed.

Meanwhile, closer to the woods, Adrian, Marlon, and Mimi walked until they found Grace and Marky.

"Hey guys!" Marlon greeted. "We were hoping to talk."

"Super, us too!" Marky said.

"Yes! Marky is intelligent, and whatever he has to say should be taken with the utmost serious consideration," Grace recited. "As an unbiased third party, I am informing you of my perception of his intelligence to further your confidence in-"

"Okay, we don't need the full explanation," Marky said. "We're all friends here and uh...so is Seth."

Marky pointed over to Seth who was tracing his hands along a tree.

"What great monuments will your gifts provide to this world?" he asked the wood.

"Just don't worry about him," Marky said. "The important thing though is that we can get back to talking about voting out Sonica."

"Sonica!? We can't do that," Mimi exclaimed.

"Ahem, Miss Evertide," Adrian said under his breath while trying to urge her to be quiet.

"Oh right that was close," Mimi said. "We can't do that because...she'd be pretty mad about it."

"Well, someone's going to be mad no matter what we do," Marky pointed out.

"Yes, I would be furious," Grace stated in her usual complacent tone. "I might even incite horrible violence. It's possible. I do not know what I'm capable of."

"Well, Seth seems pretty content," Mimi pointed out.

"Don't try it, you'll regret it," Seth stated from afar.

"Look, it doesn't have to be anyone in this group," Marky insisted. "What's Sonica doing right now, huh? Do any of you know? She's probably trash talking any of us as we speak."

"Well actually I think she's talking to Ada," Mimi remarked.

Adrian gave another cough.

"I mean, I would assume," Mimi said with a shrug.

"Yeah, she's over there right now," Marlon said as he pointed to Ada and Sonica talking on the other end of the camp.

"But what are they saying?" Marky asked.

"Wait, Adrian here can read lips!" Mimi exclaimed.

"I can't read lips if she's not even facing us," Adrian pointed out.

"Wait what?" Mimi gasped. "Somehow that makes sense, but I never thought about it that way."

"I guarantee she's talking about how useless we all are," Marky said. "And we can just get her out right now."

"Actually I think there's another option we're all overlooking," Mimi said. "It takes two to tango, so if there's really something going on between those two, why not just vote out Ada? Michelle's already doing it anyways."

Back with Sonica, and Ada, Sonica was finishing her tirade.

"Those silver spoon socialites are going to learn that the working folk aren't gonna keep carrying them through this life!" she concluded.

"Very nice, so we have a plan then?" Ada said. "I can assure you the votes will be there for it."

"I believe it!" Sonica said. "Can't believe you were ever left out of the alliance?"

"The what now?" Ada asked.

"Oh don't worry about it, doesn't matter now," Sonica assured. 'Just some day one alliance I made."

"I...see," Ada remarked.

 **Confessional:**

 **Sonica-** I was focused on keeping this team strong, but I gotta think strategically too. True, I'm aligned with Mimi and Adrian, but Number One: I don't like them, which brings me to Number Two: Do I really want to keep around some little princess and her servant? Ada and I could be onto something real here.

 **Marlon-** Well this is turning into a real mess here. I don't want to lose either Sonica or Ada, I trust both of them, so I don't see what good offering either of them up would do. Unfortunately that means we can't really go through with building any trust with the two that we're not voting out here.

 **Marky-** Would I be willing to sell out Ada to keep safe? Dumb question, obviously I would. But is is the right play right now? That's what I need to think about.

 **Mimi-** I don't want to vote out Ada, she hasn't done wrong by me, but they're right, it does have to be someone, and if Michelle already wants her gone, then why not just go through with that once and for all?

 **Ada-** Sonica just admitted to having an alliance without me. Sure, I already suspected as much, but it does make it even more important that we play this round right, otherwise I could be giving up any shot at power in this game.

(Elimination)

The group of nine returned to the platform marked by the skull structures. Chef and Chris stood at the center, illuminated by the flickering torches.

"Welcome back, Legends!" Chris greeted. "Two back to back losses, not a great way to start out the season."

"Thanks, captain obvious," Sonica remarked.

"Why you such failures!?" Chef barked.

"We are not failures, we did the best we could!" Mimi said.

"Yeah and you failed, sorry hon, but that's the definition," Chris remarked.

"Oh dear," Mimi gasped.

"Yes, alright we haven't had a great start, that's pretty evident," Marlon sighed, "but it's not the end for us. Maybe we need to take a step back and see where we can be better, what needs to change, but I believe we can do that."

"So last night, things got a bit heated between some of you, any comment on that now?" Chris said.

"Sonica is very rude," Marky remarked. "That's my comment."

"I don't busy myself with negative thoughts," Sonica said. "I am a legend, and I choose to live like one."

"You are a joke," Marky retorted.

"If it's a joke then I must have missed the humor," Grace stated blankly.

"The void hungers," Seth stated ominously.

"True, we gotta keep this moving along," Chef said. "So get to voting!"

Seth slid out of his seat and moved to the private section to cast his vote.

(Later)

"I have the votes!" Chris exclaimed. "Remember the player who gets the most will be sent into the abyss!"

"Scary!" Mimi exclaimed as she clutched Adrian's hand.

"Chef, will you start us off?" Chris asked.

'The first vote…" Chef read, "is for...Adrian!"

"Yikes!" Adrian gasped.

"Second vote," Chris said, "Marky!"

"Here we go again," Marky sighed.

"Third vote," Chef said, "Marky!"

"Fourth vote," Chris read, "Marky!"

"Thanks guys," Marky scoffed.

"Fifth vote," Chef announced, "Ada!"

"Sixth vote," Chris said, "And all the rest…"

…

...

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

"Adrian!"

"Oh uh...what?" Adrian gasped.

"How did this happen!?" Mimi wailed.

"Yep, that's one vote Ada, three votes Marky, and five votes Adrian," Chris declared.

"Um yeah, I'm kinda confused here," Adrian remarked.

"You just got played, fool!" Sonica exclaimed. "Adios!"

"Well then...I guess I'll just be on my way," Adrian said as he walked up to the pedestal in the center of the wooden platform.

"WAIT!" Mimi cried as she ran up from her seat and pulled Adrian back. "Take me instead! Adrian, I can't do this without you! I can't do anything without you! I pretended like I knew what I was doing, but I don't have a clue! I'll be lost without you!"

"Nothing could be further from the truth," Adrian said as he gripped her hands. "I've tried to protect you at every turn of the way, but you've proven time and time again that you don't need someone to look out for you. You CAN survive without me, because you are the strongest person I know!"

"You're right...I AM strong!" Mimi exclaimed as she stood up. "This is just the motivation I need to prove everyone wrong!"

"That's the spirit!" Adrian exclaimed as he walked back to the pedestal.

"Adrian, your time is up," Chris said.

"Hey, maybe I'm the one who should be in acting after pulling off that speech with a straight face," Adrian remarked to Chris under his breath.

Chef pulled the lever and Adrian was dropped into the darkness.

"Legends, you're down to eight and it looks like you're already showing cracks judging by some reactions here," Chris said. "Let's hope Marlon is right and you can learn what you're doing wrong, or pretty soon you'll be Legends Long Forgotten!"

 **Votes:**

 **Michelle-** Ada, I will continue to vote you until you leave.

 **Marlon-** Sorry, Marky, but I'm staying true to my allies for now.

 **Sonica-** Adrian, you are nothing but an extension of someone else. There is nothing legendary about you and I refuse to share this space!

 **Ada-** I will be voting for Adrian. This is my best shot to break up your alliance.

 **Marky-** Well, looks like I'm going to have to trust my nemesis here and vote Adrian. I hope this works.

 **Mimi-** I am going to vote for Marky! After some strategic thinking, this seems best.

 **Adrian-** Miss Evertide has instructed me to vote for Marky.

 **Seth-** The void yearns for Adrian to be consumed.

 **Grace-** It has been established that the most likely outcome for success hinges on voting for Adrian. So I am voting for Adrian.

(Conclusion)_

The Legends had left the ceremony, leaving Chris and Chef alone.

"Another Legend is out the door!" Chris exclaimed. "Will this trend continue, or will the Nobodies take a hit?"

"They better! I want to see some drama, they've had it easy so far!" Chef said.

"That is true, and both teams are just waiting to explode," Chris said. "With Mimi out for revenge, will she retaliate on Sonica and Ada, or is she doomed to follow Adrian out the door? And as for the Nobodies, is Gloria going to get out Emily, will Emily get the upper hand, or will we see something totally different happen? Find out on-"

"Uh Chris?" Chef remarked as he pointed to a hulking figure, very slowly lumbering through the trees.

"Totaldramalegendsvsnobodies!" Chris finished before darting in the opposite direction.


	4. Doom Raider

Chris McClean and Chef Hatchet were currently wandering through the dark woods; the sun hadn't even cracked yet, leaving them in the dark.

"Chef, you told me we would be back home in no time," Chris complained.

"We musta taken a wrong back at that creepy old willow," Chef said as he pointed back.

"Um, the creepy willow was over there," Chris said as he pointed in another direction.

"See? This is why we're lost!" Chef snapped.

"Fine, fine, we'll just do the intro out here, but by the time I finish, you had better figure out where we're going," Chris said, "Now then, hello valued viewers! Here we are still at Spooky Island, and everything is still...very spooky. Last time, the teams had to do a little scavenging. Despite the Nobodies taking another lead, they weren't without their own drama, as Gloria tried to get in Emily's head to bring her down. The Nobodies pulled off the win, and it was the Legends having to lose their second member. Marky and Ada worked hard to try to tear apart the majority alliance, and with some nudging from Ada, Sonica flipped, taking out Adrian. How will Mimi ever get by without her assistant now!? Well, let's watch and see...on Total Drama Legends vs Nobodies!"

Chris then turned to look behind himself.

"Alright, Chef, let's get outta here," Chris said, only to see shadows behind him. "Wait...Chef? Where'd you go…"

(Nobodies)

Sybil was wakened as sunlight trickled over her face.

"Urrrgh," she groaned as she stretched herself out painfully. "Another sleepless night, another bout of irreparable damage to my spine I'm going to one day regret."

Sybil noticed that many of the beds were empty and she was one of the last to wake. She stepped outside and flung her arms out dramatically.

"I have seen great terrors in my sleep!" she announced ominously. "Be afraid, be very afraid!"

However, she noticed that no one seemed to be paying her any attention.

"Well fine then, but don't say I didn't warn you when the night terrors come for you!" Sybil scoffed.

"That's exactly what I'm hoping to prevent," Terra remarked to her as she presented a loose fence of stakes she had set up around the front of the camp.

"And what's this exactly?" Sybil asked.

"Well, after the last challenge it became clear that we're dealing with a very real threat out there," Terra said, "And since our team wasn't so lucky to be blessed with some sword-wielding vampire slayer, I've decided to just do what I can to set up some protection."

"Uh-huh, well I hate to break it to you, but I don't think this dinky little thing is going to be keeping up any monsters," Sybil said as she shoved one of the stakes.

This ended up triggering a mechanism, causing vines to release like a slingshot, allowing a branch to slam into Sybil and knock her to the ground.

"The element of surprise. Hit'em where they don't see it coming," Terra explained.

Meanwhile, Emily approached Chloe who was currently jogging around the cabin. Emily tried to jog with her, though ended up tripping over her dress a number of times.

"Hi there, Chloe!" Emily greeted. "I just wanted to say that I think you're super cool, and so good at like winning challenges for this team! You totally crushed it yesterday!"

"Well thank you," Chloe said, realizing Emily's struggle she came to a halt. "But it wasn't just me. Terra helped a lot too. In fact she saved me, I would be in a whole lot of trouble if she didn't show up when she did."

"Oh my gosh, that is so good!" Emily squealed. "That is so good that we have Terra on our team! Hooray for Terra!"

"Yeah, I'm glad for her too," Chloe said, somewhat uncertainly.

"Okay, soooo," Emily said while curling a strand of her hair nervously, "I was just wondering, you know, I just need you to be honest with me. Do you think I'm fake!? Cause, I think some people might think I'm fake, but I'm not, I'm not fake! I'm very sincere, I mean every single thing I say, I am the least fake person I know in the whole entire world, and I am just very upset!"

"Hey, just breathe," Chloe assured, "I don't think you're fake at all. I think you're a great friend."

"You do? You are the best!" Emily exclaimed as she hugged Chloe.

"Uh yeah, happy I could help," Chloe replied.

From across the camp, Sybil glared at the two.

"Look at them, being all friendly," Sybil remarked. "Showing off how they're such good friends. We'll show them! Quick, pretend to be my friend!"

"What?" Terra said in confusion.

"Just talk! About anything, I don't care," Sybil said.

"Well, in that case, let me take this chance to tell you about the exploitation of chocolate farms in South America," Terra began.

"Oh my God, can you stop being so basic for two seconds, this is unbearable," Sybil groaned. "Okay this isn't working, let's just stand together. Don't say anything."

Terra remained silent.

"Oh my God, do you have to breathe like that?" Sybil exclaimed. "You know what, scrap the whole thing! I tried!"

 **Confessional:**

 **Terra-** Yeah, I've got some experience setting traps like this. People never pay attention to just words, that's why you have to MAKE them pay attention by booby-trapping their office using shredded metal that was littered ILLEGALLY by their own company in the mid-western rainforests! You know where I got these scars!? (pulls up sleeves) Guantanamo Bay Junior! But it was worth it to be a martyr for the cause!

 **Chloe-** I'll admit, I definitely find Emily to be a bit transparent at times, but I'm not going to say that to her face. It's better to have her just see me as a caring and understanding friend, and that way I can keep her on my side. I should have nothing to worry about this way.

 **Emily-** Wow it is such a relief that Chloe doesn't think I'm being fake! She's a good friend, I'm going to have to get close to her. And pretty soon I'll convince her that Gloria is not a good friend. She is the only one who's fake here! Oh and I guess me too, but I don't need people knowing that!

(Legends)

Confessional:

Marlon-Well last round ended up being a bit of an unfortunate surprise. The vote wasn't going to be particularly easy any way you look at it, but I thought for sure our core group could at least stick together. Sonica's decision...sorta confused me, since she was the one who put the group together, and she was the one who was insisting we vote Grace or Marky. I'm not too sure why she ended up doing that to us.

Marlon got up from his bed to see Mimi pacing the floor before getting back into her bed. A few seconds later, she flung off the blankets and went back to nervously pacing.

"Um, are you alright?" Marlon asked.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine," Mimi said, "It's just...Adrian always knew the perfect amount of sleep I was supposed to get. Now he's not here, and I've got no idea what I'm doing!"

"I think you're okay," Marlon said, "If you're up and moving around then you've probably got enough sleep. Especially with these beds."

"Right, I can do this!" Mimi exclaimed. "In fact, I even prepared my own schedule for the day. Of course, I've only got one item to get to so far: Give Sonica a stern talking to."

"Looking for me!?" Sonica exclaimed, suddenly coming up from behind.

"Oh uh...Sonica!" Mimi gasped, turning around quickly. "Uh yes, I have some very stern words for you. Very stern indeed!"

"Grow up already, so you lost your precious manservant, boohoo, big deal!" Sonica scoffed.

"It is a very big deal, and also you are very rude," Mimi argued.

"I think what Mimi is trying to say is that we're all just a little confused and hurt that you just flipped and left us in the dark," Marlon said.

"That too, but you know...sternly!" Mimi said.

"Well, I think you should hear what I have to say," Sonica replied, "And that's this: Get over it. That's how the game works!"

"Uh okay…" Marlon said in confusion, "But I still don't understand it. We had an alliance that you put together, and we voted Marky like you said you wanted."

"Gotta keep up with the times, things are always changing," Sonica remarked dismissively. "You think I made it big by playing the same sorta music over and over? Hell nah! You gotta be ready to change, before the times change, get ahead of the curve!"

"So what you're saying is you're against us now?" Marlon asked. "Just like that?"

"Of course not, dumbo, I didn't say anything close to that!" Sonica scoffed. "Where you getting off just making up facts like that!? That was just a move that had to happen, but now we can go right back to business!"

"How can we even trust you!?" Mimi accused. "You just voted out one of your allies on a whim, and we're just supposed to be fine with that?"

"Yeah," Sonica replied. "Hate to break it to you, but you don't exactly have a choice. Last round you two voted in the minority, so even you trust me to stick with you, or else it's just business as usual."

Outside of the cabin, Michelle was marching by the trees. She kept her steely gaze fixed outward as she carefully patrolled the area. She heard a noise approaching and clutched her saber. The girl twirled around and swung her sword to attack, just stopping a hair's length away from Seth's forehead.

"Hello," he greeted calmly.

"You shouldn't sneak up on me like that," Michelle huffed. "Could get hurt."

"I wasn't sneaking," Seth replied. "This soil is just very soft. Each step gets sucked straight down into the earth."

"Hm...well you'll need to be careful, there's danger afoot," Michelle grunted.

"I don't think so," Seth said, while carefully tracing his finger along a few blades of grass. "It feels...safe today. Just for now at least, I think we can breathe a little easier."

"Hmph, I never let my guard down," Michelle scoffed.

"And that has filled you with a shell of negative energy," Seth replied. "You've been given a gift today. Take it. Breathe the air. It's safe. Let your shell peel off, just a bit, before it swallows you whole."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Michelle remarked.

"Then let's not talk," Seth said as he took her hand and guided the girl to a tree. "Let's just do. Just breathe."

Seth allowed Michelle to sit under the shade of the tree as a gust of wind trickled through the sleeves.

"I suppose I could keep watch from here," Michelle said.

"It feels nice," Seth remarked as he revealed a hidden flower in the grass. "The world may be frightful, but let's not miss the chance to appreciate the gifts of nature."

 **Confessional:**

 **Sonica-** Sure, I flipped the vote around on my alliance last round, but it was a power move. They gotta know that I'm the one calling the shots around here. But do I just want to cut and run? Hell no! I still believe in everything I said, and there's some serious freeloaders here who need to find an exit and fast!

 **Mimi-** You know what, I do not like Sonica, and I do not need her bossing me around. I can play the game too, you know, and if she wants to make me her enemy, then she better be ready to deal with that!

 **Seth-** Michelle works very hard, she has her mind set on completing her mission, and that is good. She wants to protect others which is noble. But I do not wish to see her so consumed by what she fights that she allows herself to be eaten away into nothing. We are all born beautiful, with souls tied to our mother: The earth. We must all take whatever chances we can to remember that connection, or lose it forever.

(Nobodies)

Darren had climbed up a tree and was painting some symbols along the bark. A flash of light caught his attention, out of the corner of his eye. He tilted his head to see Zach snapping photos.

"Never took you for a wildlife enthusiast," Darren remarked.

"Not my style, but I'm hoping to catch on film some of these supposed ghouls that have been haunting the place," Zach said, "We've got enough different stories here to suspect that something is out there, and if it is some freaky monster, I want hard evidence to show the world."

"If you think there's some sort of monster out there then are you sure you should be looking to find it?" Darren asked.

"Hey, if whatever's out there wanted us dead I have a feeling we'd all be done for already," Zach replied. "It sticks to the shadows for a reason, and I want to uncover the truth!"

"Yoohoo!" Gloria called from the distance. "Honeybear, where are you!?"

"Ugh, I thought I'd lost her," Darren sighed.

"Love life not all it's cracked up to be?" Zach asked.

"Gloria's sweet," Darren said, "I just need some silence to myself. She doesn't exactly give me that."

Darren slid off down from the tree and crouched behind a log as Gloria approached.

"Darren, is that you!?" Gloria exclaimed. "You better not be with another girl, I'm too pretty for that kind of drama!"

"It's just me," Zach remarked.

"Oh well then, I guess it must be your lucky day then," Gloria purred, "Since I'm down a man and in need of some company."

"Yes, lucky me," Zach sighed. "I suppose I could use some bait."

"What was that?" Gloria asked.

"Nothing, nothing, let's just wander aimlessly into the woods and see what happens," Zach said.

"Ooh, sounds dirty, you can count me in," Gloria exclaimed.

Meanwhile, in another part of the woods, Bailey and Rory were together.

"Now, walk with confidence," Bailey instructed. "Just like when Gentle Spring was on stage for the talent show!"

Rory took a few broads steps forward before returning to his usual slouch.

"Oh, I don't know if I can do this," he sighed. "I just...have nothing to feel confident about. I'm not on any talent show, I don't even have any talents!"

"Sure you do!" Bailey assured. "You just haven't unlocked them yet."

"How do I do that?" Rory asked.

"First you gotta believe in yourself!" Bailey said. "You gotta tell yourself that you have what it takes!"

"Hm…" Rory said as he closed his eyes and tried to focus. "Yeah, I don't know if that's going to happen."

"Huh...what's that Princess Kokomo?" Bailey said as he spoke to his pillow. "You're right, this isn't going so well, but I promise you we'll have him ready for knighthood before you know it! Oh what's that? Now that's a good idea!"

"Uh...mind if I ask what you're talking about?" Rory asked.

"Princess Kokomo, in all her infinite wisdom, things that maybe we need to take a different approach," Bailey said. "You've gotta get out of your funk, but to do that maybe we ought to make some friends. Just show people your true colors and you'll see that people will be happy to be with you. Go on."

"Well uh….I um, I don't know about that, but well...I guess if you say so," Rory stammered nervously.

Rory walked back towards the cabin. He eventually came across Jeffrey standing by himself.

"Uh um...hello there!" Rory greeted.

"Hi pal!" Jeffrey replied. "Put'er there!"

Jeffrey extended a hand, which Rory accepted. Suddenly Rory felt his hand crushed in a metallic grip.

"Well well, looks like you could say that I'm...SQUEEZED TO MEET YOU!" Jeffrey howled. "YEEEEEEEHAWWW HAW HAW HORK HORK HYUAAAACK OOOOO KEHEHEHEHEH EEEEHENHENHEN NYEHAHAHA NYEEEE!"

Rory tried to pry his hand loose while Jeffrey maintained his grip despite falling to the ground in laughter.

"Oooooooh SQUEEZED HAAAAAIEEEEEE HOW DO I EVEN COME UP WITH THESE!? HAHAHAH HAAAA THAT'S THAT'S AAAAA HOOOO HOOO HOHOHOH OHOHOHOH OH! HO! HO! HO! THAT'S TOO GOOD!" Jeffrey continued to laugh.

Rory managed to pry enough fingers free to slide his hand out of the near impenetrable grip.

"Yeah let's find someone else to be your friend," Bailey said as he quickly urged Rory away from the clown.

 **Confessional:**

 **Darren-** I don't want to just give Gloria the cold shoulder. She's a very pretty, very sweet girl, and I'm glad to know she fancies me. I just like my personal space too. I like to do my own thing. And she...well, if she had it her way we wouldn't even go to the bathroom separately.

 **Bailey-** Friends are very important, Gentle Spring wouldn't have gotten out of all her many predicaments if it wasn't for the help of her friends! I think once Rory gets some more friends he'll start to realize that he's got more going for him than he thinks. Not to mention, less people will want to vote him off and that's also probably a good thing here.

 **Rory-** I dunno about this, guys. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'd love to just stand up with a high level of confidence and show that I've got what it takes. But I really don't and I don't even know if I can fake it. I'm just gonna be setting myself up for a bigger fall. (sighs)

(Legends)

Marlon and Mimi exited the cabin out into the damp grass.

"She makes me so mad," Mimi simmered.

"I know I'm not particularly happy with Sonica either," Marlon said. "But we can't be too rash here either. Things are on the verge of caving in on us as it is."

"What if we told the others to target her?" Mimi suggested. "She's already been rude about all of them, they have no reason to trust her."

"I...guess we could do that," Marlon said, "I don't know if it's wise though. The others likely know they were left out of our alliance. If we go showing our hand right away, for all we know they could just use it against us. I don't know if that's worth the risk."

"Just let me speak to them," Mimi said, "Trust me, I'll be able to judge whether it's right to move forward or not, you may not know it, but I'm an expert at reading character cues. It's part of the gig, reading the script is one thing, but when I step on the stage I have to be ready to use all my senses to figure out how I need to react to my fellow cast."

"Really?" Marlon said in shock.

"Oh yeah, like sometimes the lighting will get really dark or the music will get really sinister, that's when you know you're dealing with trouble," Mimi assured.

"I don't think that-" Marlon tried to say.

"I got this! Just relax and leave it to me," Mimi promised before leaving Marlon.

Meanwhile Grace, Marky, and Ada were walking together in a shadier part of camp.

"Last night could not have gone any better," Ada stated.

"There could have been food," Grace remarked.

"What?" Ada asked.

"If it were better. Maybe Chris and Chef would have given us food. Personally I would have enjoyed some peanut-butter jelly sandwiches," Grace replied.

"I meant for the game!" Ada scoffed.

"Ah," Grace said with a hollow nod of her head. "But that could have been good for our game. More food would lead to more strength in the challenges."

"Sure, not going to argue that," Ada remarked. "But the important bit is that we've toppled that entire alliance and pulled Sonica in, so there's no way to lose the numbers now."

"You sure we've got Sonica?" Marky asked skeptically. "She hasn't even bothered to speak to me. And you know, I was expecting at least a 'you owe me big now' given her ego."

"She has nowhere to go," Ada assured. "She just screwed over half this team, she can't realistically expect to flip right back. I'm sure she'll talk to me and I can get a sense for what she wants next. So long as you keep Seth with us though, she's not going to be in a position of making demands."

"I suppose," Marky said, still not convinced.

"Oh here she comes now, quick hide so you don't offend her line of sight!" Ada exclaimed as she shooed Grace and Marky into the bushes, before walking up to meet Sonica.

"I like her," Grace remarked to Marky.

"I don't think we can trust her," Marky replied.

"I don't like her," Grace corrected her statement.

"You just said you liked her," Marky pointed out.

"I did, however, things changed that affected my opinion," Grace explained. "Such as you telling me that she could not be trusted. Due to the mutually beneficial nature of our relationship, along with an established trust, you opinion directly influences my own."

"Huh...well I'm okay with that," Marky said. "But I don't like this. Sonica doesn't care about you or me, and only Ada is allowed to talk to her? If anything, I think Ada is trying to put herself into a power position, and I don't want that at all. I've never trusted her to stay loyal."

"Hi guys...what are we hiding from?" someone asked behind the two.

Grace and Marky both awkwardly jolted around to see Mimi joining them.

"Mind if I join in what I'm sure is a strategic discussion?" Mimi asked.

"You may, however as fair warning, due to the circumstance of recent events, I do not fully trust you and therefore, to avoid having to lie, any questions you may have to ask will only be answered by non-committal grunts or vague non-answers," Grace replied.

"Uh...sorry I didn't quite get all that," Mimi said uncertainty.

"Hmm," Grace replied noncommittally.

"Don't worry about her," Marky said. "You can talk to me if you want. I'd apologize for the last round, but well all things considered, we both know that wouldn't be genuine."

"Apology accepted!" Mimi exclaimed. "Now let's talk about Sonica!"

"Alright," Marky replied. "What about her?"

"Uh...do you wanna vote her out!?" Mimi blurted. "I mean, she's really rude and I don't think she likes you guys at all. She referred to you as 'about as useful as the highest level on a toaster.'"

"Are we having toast?" Grace asked.

"...no," Mimi answered.

"Oh," Grace sighed downtrodden.

"You don't need to sell me the pitch," Marky said, "I know Sonica would like nothing more than to kick me out of here, so if you're saying you'll vote for her the next time we lose, you have a deal."

Up ahead and further off from the bushes, Ada and Sonica had met up.

"Well played last night," Ada remarked.

"Just showing this lot of pacified has-beens how we do it in the modern age!" Sonica exclaimed. "Now that that business is done, we can take out the trash, and finish off Marky and his posse for real!"

"You don't say," Ada replied, subduing her surprise.

 **Confessional:**

 **Mimi-** I don't think I'm being too brash here. I made a mistake at the start of this game by trusting Sonica and I need to rectify that as soon as possible. She's proven she can't be trusted, so expecting to just go back to the way it was is a foolish decision. I plan to turn this around at the first chance I get, and regret nothing!

 **Marky-** I've always gotten the feeling that Ada's willingness to work with me came from no more than logical necessity. If she sees a way to help herself, she'll take it, and if she sees it more beneficial to cut me I think she would too. That's why I'm not putting my trust in her loyalty. As for Sonica, I gotta say hat's off to her, being so bold to make so many enemies at once. But she still sucks and for my sake needs to get out yesterday!

 **Ada-** Honestly, I'm shocked at Sonica being so willing to jump back to the people she just screwed over. It defies all logic, but it might not be the worst thing for me to play into that. Right now everyone's going to be looking to her, which means if she wants to play the public enemy, that means I can make some progress for myself without having to get much dirt on me.

(Legends)

Michelle glared intently at any signs of movement from the forest.

"It's just the wind," Seth stated. "The forest is still alive, albeit plagued. There's no need to-"

The two heard the sound of a twig snapping. Michelle pointed her blade towards the source of the sound.

"That wasn't the wind!" Michelle hissed. "It could be a threat!"

"It could be a gift," Seth suggested.

Something made its way through the brambles. A white rabbit scurried into the open.

"Hm...a rabbit," Michelle noted, lowering her guard.

"Look, I think it has something for us," Seth said as he pointed to a red lace tied around the rabbit's neck with a folded note tucked in against it.

Seth knelt down and allowed the small animal to approach him curiously. The boy tenderly reached out and removed the note before unfolding it.

"For this next challenge, follow the directions on the back to get to The Ogre's Cave, further instructions once you arrive," Seth read.

"Well then, looks like we have another mission," Michelle stated. "Let's go everyone, we have another challenge and I'm not risking leaving any of you on your own!"

The group slowly emerged from their different locations and gathered together around Michelle.

"No need to yell," Sonica grumbled. "Your voice is already deteriorating my eardrums with each syllable."

"It's time to move," Michelle simply ordered. "We have an Ogre to slay."

"Is that uh...metaphorical, or for real?" Mimi asked, but Michelle was already marching forward, having taken the map from Seth's grip. "Guess we'll just have to find out."

In another part of the forest, the Nobodies had gotten a similar message and likewise had taken off to follow the direction.

"You hear that, Your Majesty?" Bailey said to the pillow he had supported against his shoulder. "An Ogre! Not to fear, your knight is here and with the power of friendship, this beast won't stand a chance!"

"I uh...I really don't know about that," Rory stammered. "Is uh...is friendship really strong enough to protect us from getting crushed to a pulp?"

"Yes," Bailey replied.

"Oh er….well...if you say so," Rory sighed.

"Guys, we can figure this out when we get there!" Chloe called. "We need to keep moving!"

"Wow Chloe, you are so smart! That is so true! Let's keep moving, guys! You heard our fearless leader, Chloe!" Emily gushed.

"No need to get too ahead of ourselves, we don't even know what we're dealing with yet," Darren said.

"Exactly, which means we need to get there before the other team so we can figure it out first! Every second counts!" Chloe insisted.

The two teams ended up arriving at a large rocky formation at the same time.

"Well, the directions say this is the place," Chloe remarked as the Nobodies arrived.

The Legends rounded the bend just a few seconds later.

"Well, well, look who it is," Sonica scoffed. "The Nobodies, irrelevant as ever I presume."

"Yes," Rory sighed.

""No!" Chloe countered. "Though it's nice to see that you so called Legends are already feeling insecure from back to back losses."

"I'm never insecure, darling," Sonica scoffed.

"Sounds like something a perfectly adjusted person would say," Chloe retorted.

"Guys, Gentle Spring is getting upset with all the animosity going on," Bailey interjected. "Can't we just say Good Game and move on?"

"I like it," Marlon said.

"Even though we're about to go into a challenge to determine which one of us have to send someone home?" Marky pointed out. "Seems like the stakes are a little higher than 'Good Game' "

"You want to talk high stake now, eh!?" Terra spoke up.

"Oh crap, now you've got her going," Sybil exclaimed. "Forget the small talk, let's just go already!"

"That's right, just run away from the truth...sheep," Terra hissed. "Just like you'll let children starve in the streets."

"You know what, I would, glad we got that established," Sybil replied.

Sybil walked up to an opening in the rocky structure. Outside of it was a wooden sign that looked recently posted.

"Welcome to the Ogre's Cave, your challenge is simple: Enter the cave and exit at the other end. Your entire team must make it through to win immunity," Sybil read, "the losers will have to vote someone out."

"Well, no time to waste, we've got this!" Chloe exclaimed as she climbed through the crevice.

"Not so fast, this is my time to shine!" Mimi exclaimed as she chased after Chloe.

The two both struggled through the crevice and rolled through the dark cavern.

"This is the chance I've been waiting for," Zach remarked. "Time to get a shot of Mimi Evertide in action."

Zach charged through the opening and was soon followed by Michelle and Marky. Chloe and Mimi had both taken off quickly to trying to find their way through the shadows.

"I should give you fair warning that this isn't the first tomb I've had to traverse," Mimi said. "Better watch yourself or you'll wind up in a death trap."

"I'll consider myself warned," Chloe replied.

Outside, the rest of the two teams were taking a much more cautious approach to entering.

"Why did they just run off like that?" Ada scoffed. "Who knows what sorts of traps are left waiting for them?"

"Or...O-Ogres!" Rory stammered.

"Don't be preposterous," Ada replied.

"Oh...sorry," Rory sighed.

"Well, you better believe that no trap is getting the best of me," Sonica remarked, before hearing a click echo through the chamber. "Hey what the hell was that?"

Suddenly, a portion of the ground crumbled away to reveal a deep pit. Several of the racers were sent plummeting down into the shadows. Gloria was right on the edge and nearly dropped as well, but was grabbed by Darren and pulled back.

"You saved me!" she exclaimed, intentionally putting more weight on him so that her body would collapse on top of his. "My hero!"

"Oh...that is not good," Rory said as he glanced at the large pit that now separated them from the rest of the cave.

"I guess you could say that those guys….HAD A NICE FALL! Jeffrey bellowed. "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HA! OH MY OH ME OOOOH HOOO WHOA HO HO! FALL! EVEN THOUGH IT'S SUMMER! CAUSE THEY FELL DOWN! Okay, okay, but seriously….who isn't DOWN for a good time!? FOOOO HOOO HEEEEE HI HI HI!"

In his fit of laughter, Jeffrey slapped Rory on the back and nearly sent him plummeting into the pit as well. Ada instinctively reached out and grabbed his arm though.

"Just my luck," she sighed. "Survive the fall...get stuck with this maniac."

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** I don't think I'm being careless here. When immunity is on the line, you need to be ready to act. We know what we're up against, it's a race, and in a race you go fast. I need to set an example for the rest of my team.

 **Marlon-** With the way things have gone for our team..we're headed for disaster if we keep taking losses. I would really like to turn that around today.

 **Rory-** Well this isn't exactly off to a great start. I don't even know how I've gotten this far, but this is it for me, everyone will see that I just don't have what it takes and vote me out. I don't even know how I'm supposed to fake it!

 **Ada-** The problem with this challenge is that it really comes down to your weakest link. I'm sure I could be able to handle getting through here, I'm not too worried...but if just one member of our team gets lost then we're done for.

Marky and Michelle glanced back at the portion of the ground that had collapsed, trapping several of the others.

"Well, that's going to set us back," Marky noted.

"Hm...good," Michelle remarked.

"Good? What happened to sticking together?" Marky asked.

"They're safer if they stay out of trouble," Michelle said, "Leaving me to take on whatever beast is waiting for us in here."

Up ahead, Mimi had also realized that most of the others had gotten left behind.

"Oh no...oh wait...I know what this is," she gasped. "This is my moment to prove myself! This is one of those defining tests!"

"I think it's just another challenge," Chloe remarked.

"Don't you see? Both of us separated from our teams? We've got no choice but to work together!"

"No thanks," Chloe replied, continuing to move ahead.

"Mimi Evertide, taking on this defining moment!" Zach exclaimed as he began snapping photos.

"Hey, cut it out!" Mimi snapped.

"Don't you want your story told?" Zach asked. "Leave it to me, I can make sure the whole world gets to hear the inside scoop."

"Oh no you don't," Mimi huffed. "I've dealt with the media enough, always changing the story to whatever sounds more scandalous. I once went to lunch and the very next day, the top headlines were 'Mimi Evertide, meeting with a mystery man?' 'Is she having an affair?' I'm not even in a current relationship!"

"That's great, now could you try to look frightened but determined?" Zach asked.

Mimi just huffed again and marched after Chloe.

"That is perfect!" Zach said as he continued to take photos of her.

 **Confessional:**

 **Mimi-** I've had lots of character defining moments in my career. It's the point where you need to step up and prove that you're more than what the world sees you as. Well this is my chance! Separated from my time, I've got to prove that I can be my own hero! This thing practically writes itself.

 **Zach-** I haven't forgotten what I really came out here for. Sure, winning would be great, but win or lose, I can still come out of this thing with a hot hot story on one of Canada's biggest starlets, which means my career is still getting launched off of this show.

 **Chloe-** Getting separated from everyone isn't idea, but I can't afford to slow down now. I'll just have to trust that they can catch up!

Seven of the teenagers had hit the bottom of the dark pit. After a painful tumble they began to pull themselves up again.

"That was...unpleasant," Marlon groaned.

"Has anyone seen Princess Kokomo!?" Bailey gasped.

"Uh…" Terra remarked as she pointed to the pillow currently squashed underneath Bailey.

"Your Majesty!" Bailey sobbed as he held up the pillow in a panic. "Forgive me...I have failed you!"

"I just connected with her spirit and she says she'll never forgive you," Sybil scoffed.

"Well that's not very nice. I'm sure she was just joking," Emily added.

"I think we may have a bigger problem," Marlon remarked.

"Well there's always a bigger problem! Let's start with corrupt government, because we're not getting anywhere until that's taken care of!" Terra exclaimed.

"Uh, I meant..we're trapped down here with no way out," Marlon said.

"Just like the hole we've dug for the state of this country," Terra sighed dramatically.

"Wait, guys...guys Gentle Spring has an idea!" Bailey exclaimed. "What if...we combined the strengths of both our teams...to get us both out of here!?"

"Yeah no," Sonica scoffed. "First off, I'd never want to help you guys, but even if I did...what would that change? We can all helplessly ponder our situation in unison?"

"Well I think it's a great idea!" Emily exclaimed. "Teamwork can never go wrong!"

"Nope, nope, that's not happening," Sybil said.

"Aw, why not?" Bailey sighed.

"Because we can't trust these people," Sybli said, "I can sense it in their auras. They very dark auras...very dark! Can't trust a word they say!"

"That is interesting," Grace said, "I had no idea I had a dark aura. But you say that I do, so I suppose I should not be trusted. It's good to be aware of this now, rather than accidentally causing others to trust me. I shall seek to confront this issue."

"Yep, you do that," Sybil said, "In the meantime, I'm already being overwhelmed by the concentrated dark energy in this area."

Sybil began to twitch and sway her arms. As she moved, another click sound emanated, followed by a wooden stake launching into Sybil's shin. She suddenly began to flail in pain.

"Oh no, the dark energy is sending her into a seizure," Bailey gasped.

"No, you goddamn morons, I've been impaled!" Sybil winced through the pain. "Also the dark energy probably isn't helping…"

 **Confessional:**

 **Sybil-** Do I really need to go through the many reasons why we can't just 'make nice and work together?' Well I'll try, but the simplest explanation is...there's only one spot for immunity here. If we help the other team, then we're putting ourselves at risk, so why would we do that? I don't know, but some people are dense.

 **Bailey-** A good deed should be its own reward! Sure, sometimes it can be sad when you hold the door and they don't even say thank you...but that's not what being nice is all about! You do it just to make the world a better place!

 **Emily-** Sure, Marlon, Sonica, and Grace may be on the other team, but it's never too late to start working on those cross tribal bonds. Sooner or later we're going to need each other, and I want them to remember that I was open to working together even before that.

"Well this certainly puts us in a predicament," Ada remarked as she examined the large hole in the cave. "We're going to have to get past this somehow though."

"Maybe we could try to build a bridge," Rory suggested.

"A bridge? With what? Twigs and vines? That would snap before we even got halfway across," Ada scoffed.

"You're right, it was a bad idea," Rory sighed.

Meanwhile, Darren was exploring other corners of the cave opening, climbing up on some jagged rocks to get to paint symbols along the cave ceiling.

"Oh wow, I think it's so cool that you're doing that," Gloria cooed from the ground. "So badass, leaving your mark here!"

"I as well find it quite meaningful to commune with nature's monuments in a simple yet effective way," Seth noted.

"I wasn't talking to you!" Gloria snapped as she shoved Seth away.

As Darren shifted among the rocks, he ended up uncovering an opening in the wall.

"Oh what's this…" he remarked.

"Looks like a place for us to have just to ourselves!" Gloria exclaimed as she climbed up to join him.

"Actually, I think this might lead somewhere," Darren said, "It could be our best shot."

"Oh...yay," Gloria said unenthusiastically.

The others joined the group and crawled through the tunnel. They found themselves tightly packed into a passage that they had to shimmy through, but it provided a clear path.

"Okay, while we're here, maybe this would be a good chance to talk about what might happen if we lose," Gloria remarked.

"You sure?" Darren asked.

"Definitely, someone needs to speak up," Gloria said, "And I am sick of this fake shtick from Emily. She needs to go!"

"Well...okay," Darren said uncertainly. "But you'll have to convince the others of that."

"I'm sure I'll find a way to be persuasive," Gloria remarked.

She turned around to glance at Jeffrey.

"Hello, Clown, can I talk some strategy with you?" Gloria asked.

"Well I don't know...CAN YOU!?" Jeffrey guffawed.

"Never mind," Gloria remarked.

 **Confessional:**

 **Gloria-** I am not going to pass this chance up. With the team being split up, it's the perfect chance to get the idea out there that Emily can't be trusted. Unfortunately, those that I'm stuck with...aren't the most helpful.

 **Darren-** I don't really think Emily has done much wrong. But I don't see myself having a grudge against anyone here. If she's butting heads with Gloria, then might as well just nip that in the bud while we can.

 **Seth-** I suppose it's quite possible this cave could just collapse, sealing us in here, making us a part of this island forever. It would be beautiful. Although also terrible, undeniably.

Chloe, Zach, Michelle, Mimi, and Marky had stepped into a much large chamber that reached upwards among the jagged stones. Chloe wasted no time in climbing up the spikes.

"She really doesn't waste time, eh?" Marky noted.

"She's got passion for winning that's for sure," Zach remarked. "Maybe your team could benefit from a little of that."

"My team had to lose so I could get rid of people who would dare vote me," Marky said. "All part of the master plan. We'll win when it suits me."

"I see, is this your evil monologue then?" Zach asked.

"Oh please, don't insult me, as if my evil monologue would be so simple," Marky replied. "I've been working on it...but you'll have to wait till the end of the game. Maybe Final 8 at the earliest if I'm feeling eager."

Michelle had started to climb up the jagged wall after Chloe. As she did though, one of the rock holds crumbled in her grip, causing her to slip and fall backwards.

"I got you!" Mimi exclaimed as she tried to catch Michelle. "I uh...don't got you, how do I do th-"

Michelle slammed into Mimi and the two hit the ground.

"Wow, what a story!" Zach exclaimed as he began snapping photos of the two girls. "Who is this gaunt lesbian getting frisky with Mimi Evertide!?"

"Cut it out!" Mimi snapped.

Chloe reached the top of her climb; however as she pulled herself up, she found the rocky surface to be somewhat damp. She barely had a second to register what this meant, before a burst of gushing water rushed over her body and sent her sprawling back down the way she had come. More streams of water began to spout along the walls, gradually filling the chamber.

"It's a trap!" Mimi gasped.

"I should have known," Michelle hissed.

The water elevated and began to submerge the five kids.

"Well, what do we do!?" Marky exclaimed.

"This looks like it's time for a great escape!" Mimi said as she dived under the water.

"Not if I escape first!" Chloe countered as she dived after her.

"Do either of those two have a plan?" Marky asked.

"Highly unlikely," Zach replied.

"Hmph," Michelle said as she swam over to a rock wall.

She brushed her hand along the rough pattern until coming to a pause. She drew her sword and swung it against the point, causing the wall to crumble inwards and reveal another passage.

"I'm with her!" Marky exclaimed as he followed Michelle.

 **Confessional:**

 **Michelle-** Hm...this isn't your average beast. These traps were sent by a true menace. Just making it all the more imperative that I find this monster and end them fast.

 **Marky-** Michelle may not necessarily always have her focus on the challenge, but given the things out there, that might not be a bad thing. And hey, if she can channel her strength, then I'm all for making the most of it.

 **Mimi-** I once played a character who held their breath for two hours in my role in the Atlantis Sitcom. I got this.

The group of seven in the pit continued to pace around searching for a way out.

"Wait, wait...what if we lifted each other up?" Bailey suggested.

"What?" Terra asked.

"I mean, I lift you up, and then you lift up someone, and so forth until we're out of here," Bailey proposed.

"Have you seen how deep this is?" Terra said as she gestured to the expansive drop they had fallen. "We wouldn't even come close"

"Well...when you put it that way," Bailey sighed.

Sybil meanwhile was lying on the ground in pain. Marlon approached her and without speaking, pulled the stake out of her leg.

"OW!" Sybil screamed. "Screw you!"

"You'll be alright," Marlon said, "It didn't pierce too deep."

"I don't recall asking for your help," Sybil scoffed.

"I don't recall asking for permission," Marlon retorted. "But I can't bear to see someone in pain."

"Well aren't you just Mother Fricking Teresa then," Sybil remarked.

"How hard could it be to climb out of here?" Emily proposed as she tried to pull herself up the wall.

She quickly slid back down.

"Okay, so pretty hard," she deduced.

"Hold up, hold up...where'd the creepy little robot girl get to?" Sonica exclaimed.

"Grace? She's right...uh…" Marlon said as he glanced around.

Indeed, there were now only six bodies in the pit.

"Well how did she escape without us noticing!?" Sonica exclaimed. "And why didn't she tell us!?"

 **Confessional:**

 **Grace-** Oh yes, I actually found a hidden passage to get through. However, seeing as I am currently unsure if I ought to be trusted, I decided it may be in everyone's best interest to travel alone for now.

 **Marlon-** Sure, these guys are on the other team, but I'm still going to help out if they're in need. None of us are getting out of this place if we don't at least try to help each other out.

 **Terra-** I hope you're all watching closely, especially the sheep out there! This is a classic example of how the world works, here we are stuck in a pit with seemingly no way out since it's just easier to act like your situation is impossible and nothing you can do anyways, right? Wrong! Apparently someone found a way out, but did they help the rest of us? No! Selfish as ever and that's why the rest of the world is still trapped! It's clear what needs to happen here, get OUT the one percent...and if you don't maybe you'll be the one waking up in a hole next!

As Darren continued to lead through the tunnel, he found it beginning to widen. Sticking his head forward, he saw that it led out into a short drop into another wider chamber.

"I think we're getting somewhere," he called back.

The boy carefully crawled out and dropped down. This section was filled with rock structures that reached from the top to the ground.

"Is it safe?" Gloria asked.

"Seems clear to me," Darren said after glancing around.

Gloria slid out after the boy and the others soon followed after. The group of six did not get to move far before they heard a skittering sound among the shadows.

"What was that?" Rory said nervously as he clung to Ada.

"Surely nothing supernatural," Ada assured.

"Gaaaah!" Darren suddenly screamed as something pounced on his face.

"Oh my god, oh my god!" Gloria shrieked.

"Well, what is it!?" Ada demanded.

Darren was able to tear the creature off of his face. It was a giant furry spider. Its eight legs failed while it hissed and snapped at Darren's face. The boy tossed the creature against the wall in a panic.

"That was messed up!" Rory gasped.

"Good thing we've got a big strong man to protect us," Gloria exclaimed as she pressed her body against Darren.

"Uh..we might not be in the clear yet," Ada said nervously.

The girl pointed up at the horde of large spiders that were now scurrying towards them. Gloria gasped and turned to run but found that spiders were pouring in from all sides now.

"We're all going to die!" she sobbed. "Save me, Darren!"

"Let's not panic," Seth said, though clearly uncertain, "These are still nature's creatures…"

One of the spiders snarled as it lunged at Seth. It clung to his leg and dragged him to the ground.

"Never mind, it's okay to panic!" Seth exclaimed.

"I don't care how big you are, any bug that tries to get in my face is getting squished!" Ada threatened as she grabbed a rock and slammed it against the spider that was trying to cling to Seth.

More of them came charging at her though. Darren tossed a handful of smaller rocks at the spider which ended up getting their attention.

"Oh don't do that, you're just making them mad," Gloria said as she desperately tried to push herself as close to Darren as possible.

"I...I...I…" Rory stammered as his body trembled violently while trying to strike a fighting pose.

The boy ended up turning ghostly white and passing out. Spiders just scurried over his body without interest. Meanwhile, Jeffrey was having to kick back several spiders with his massive shoes.

"So, you guys wanna play BALL eh!?" Jeffrey cackled. "Let's have a BALL then!"

The clown reached into his pocket and revealed a small red ball which he tossed forward. As it rolled along the ground though, it inflated in size, and wound up bowling over several of the spiders in its way.

"This is our chance, let's get out of here!" Ada said as she grabbed Seth and made a run away from the horde of arachnids.

"No time to be sleeping on the job, buddy!" Jeffrey said to Rory as he tied a pair of balloons to his ankles, which served to drag him along the ground.

The group of six was able to escape their attackers and only paused to catch their breath once they were certain they weren't being followed.

"So uh...nothing supernatural, eh?" Rory remarked as he regained consciousness.

"Oh hush,I've never seen spiders that large before, but it's entirely possible it's just an undiscovered species," Ada remarked. "Perfectly scientific and nothing demonic."

"Well, I'm just glad we had a hero to save us," Gloria said.

"I didn't do much," Darren remarked modestly.

"I know, I wasn't talking to you," Gloria said before throwing her arms around Jeffrey.

 **Confessional:**

 **Jeffrey-** You see it's actually an illusion, the ball doesn't get bigger, just the air inside of it...fools the mind!

 **Seth-** Let this be an important remind, while nature has a delicate balance of beauty...it can also be very savage and destructive if you wander too far.

 **Gloria-** I actually find about less than zero attractive features in someone who casually dresses as a clown, but I'm hoping that Darren can take the hint and step up to be the strong man I need.

Having followed the new passage, Michelle, Zach, and Marky found themselves entering another expansive area. Beneath then was a large dark drop. Ahead of them was only a narrow stone bridge that appeared to be only barely retaining its structure.

"Looks fun," Marky remarked.

The group cautiously began to step onto the bridge. Michelle took a confident lead while Zach and Marky followed behind her. The group felt a tremor through the cavern.

"What was that?" Zach asked.

"I don't like it," Marky added.

Suddenly a large chunk of rock dangling from the ceiling came bolting down. The boys leapt out of the way as the debris smashed through the rock formation, preventing them from heading back.

"Well, that certainly makes this more interesting," Zach remarked, looking up to see several more large block were trembling, ready to rain down over the bridge.

"And this is also where we say goodbye!" Marky exclaimed as he tried to jab his elbow against Zach's ribs.

The attack had a very minimal effect.

"Huh...you know, I really expected that to go better in my mind," Marky remarked.

"I'll bet you did," Zach retorted as he shoved Marky over the edge in the other direction.

Michelle managed to reach out and grab Marky by the wrist before he plummeted any further.

"Are you two done?" she asked.

"Yeah I guess," Zach remarked.

"Then let's MOVE!" Michelle barked.

The three took off sprinting just as the bridge was bombarded with falling pieces of rock. Despite the structure being smashed from all sides, the trio were able to safely make it to the other end of the bridge just as it fell apart and crumbled.

Outside of the cave, Chef and Chris were currently waiting by another opening in the rock.

"Well, Chef, who's it going to be!?" Chris asked.

"You know as well as I do that we ain't got any damn clue what's gonna happen!" Chef remarked.

"Shh, we're trying to build suspense with pointless questions," Chris chided.

The two heard a splash from behind them. They turned around to see Mimi surfacing in a not too distant pond.

"I made it!" she exclaimed.

Soon, Chloe surfaced right next to her. Chloe wasted no time swimming for land and triumphantly striking a pose before Chef and Chris.

"First!" she announced.

"Um, I believe I was here first," Mimi said as she joined her.

"I got to the exact finish point first, which means I win!" Chloe declared.

"The challenge just said get to the other side of the cave, while I did that!" Mimi argued.

"Ladies, ladies, neither of you win until your entire team gets here," Chris reminded. "It's all on them now."

"I think we got some more coming now," Chef said, before suddenly being tackled and pinned to the ground.

"Die Ogre!" Michelle yelled as she held Chef against the ground.

"No, Michelle, that's just Chef!" Chris said.

"Or is that what he wants you to think?" Michelle said suspiciously as she backed off the larger man.

"So that's Michelle, Zach, and Marky all making it out as well," Chris said. "Still got a long ways to go."

 **Confessional:**

 **Marky-** My villainous finesse...could use some work. Better to get the kinks out now though, sooner better than later.

 **Michelle-** No sign of the Ogre yet...but this isn't over. I know he's out there waiting to strike, and when he does...I'll hit first.

 **Mimi-** You know, I really think our team is off to a strong lead this time. We could take this!

Grace traveled through the winding tunnel that she had discovered, curiously following where it would lead. Eventually she reached a new room that seemed to have various decorations hanging from the ceiling. Only as she got closer did she realize it was dangling bones.

"Well, that's not very nice," she noted. "How ever did this happen?"

Grace turned around, but suddenly something was launched towards her. She tried to move, but her sleeve was pinned by a spike that pinned her to the rock wall behind her. Several more spikes fired at her and pinned her firmly against the wall from all sides.

"Oh dear," Grace noted.

The girl tried to move her body and pry herself loose, but found herself too tightly stuck in her position.

"Hello? Anyone out there?" she called. "I am in need of assistance."

After a few minutes of just motionlessly hanging above the ground, Grace heard the sound of movement nearby. The group of Gloria, Darren, Jeffrey, Ada, Seth, and Rory came rolling out of another tunnel and crashing to the ground.

"That was painful," Gloria commented.

"Um, excuse me," Grace called. "Perhaps you could help."

The group got up and went to find Grace pinned to the wall.

"Well, how did this happen?" Ada asked.

"I am not quite sure. One second I was not like this...then I was," Grace answered.

"We'll get you down with a gentle touch," Seth promised.

"You guys can do that, but my team is going to be winning this thing, so bye!" Gloria exclaimed as she directed her team to keep moving.

"Well that's rude," Ada remarked.

Ada focused on trying to pry the spires out of Grace's clothes. Seth assisted, using a soft spinning motion to get them to dislodge easily. Grace gave a sigh of relief as she was able to come free.

"Now come on, let's catch up to those others," Ada said.

The other four were making a dash through the caves.

"Ha, we've got this," Gloria exclaimed. "Those losers don't stand a chance now!"

"Oh dear!" Rory suddenly gasped.

The group stopped and turned back to see that a metallic trap had clamped onto his ankle.

"Way to go," Gloria sighed.

"What was that about losers?" Ada said as the three ran past the group. "Looks like that's you now."

"No..it's still you...gah! You can't use my words against me like that!" Gloria snapped.

"Okay, don't panic, we can still get this off," Darren said as he examined the trap.

The boy tried prying and tugging at the different parts of the trap, but it refused to release Rory's leg.

"I guess you could say-" Jeffrey began.

"Whatever you're going to say, save it!" Gloria snapped.

"Okay, new idea," Darren said before pulling at the entire trap and snapping it out of the ground.

The clamp remained attached to Rory's leg, but was no longer tied to the ground.

"I guess that's good enough," Rory said.

"Then let's get a move on!" Darren exclaimed.

The group took off running once more. Both groups were nearing the light at the end of the cave. Grace, Ada, and Seth emerged first.

"Congratulations Ada, Grace, and Seth!" Chris exclaimed. "You join Mimi, Michelle, and Marky from your team...just waiting on two more!"

"What's taking so long?" Ada huffed.

Jeffrey, Darren, Gloria, and Rory emerged next.

"And you four will be joining Chloe and Zach from the Nobodies," Chris said, "which means we're still waiting on four from your team to make it here."

"Four!?" Gloria snapped. "And no surprise, Emily is one of them."

"Wait is that no surprise?" Rory exclaimed.

"Because she sucks, trust me," Gloria said.

"O-oh...okay," Rory said.

 **Confessional:**

 **Gloria-** I don't want to lose, seeing as I didn't survive that horrible spider attack for nothing, but if we do, at least we know exactly who we're voting out.

 **Rory-** Oh so uh...um well it seems like Emily might also be a target. I thought for sure it would be on me, but maybe...just maybe, I can slip through this. I'm not getting my hopes up...but maybe just a little.

 **Ada-** So the two we're waiting on are Marlon and Sonica? Well they better not blow this now, we may be on track to recover some ground here.

 **Seth-** And thus...we emerge from the trials of the pit of the earth...all the stronger for it.

The group of Terra, Sonica, Emily, Sybil, Marlon and Bailey was hopelessly resting in their pit.

"Chris is just going to have to call it a tie, I'm sure all the other teams have made it and we're still stuck," Sybil remarked.

"That wouldn't tie," Sonica scoffed. "Clearly the Legends would win for having more people get through."

"Guess again, your team had less to begin with," Sybil countered.

Marlon and Bailey were still pacing around the walls searching for a way out.

"If Grace found a way out of here, there must be something," Marlon said.

"Never give up, even in the face of peril!" Bailey added.

"Wait...I think we've got something," Marlon said as he uncovered a hidden passage behind a sliding portion of rock.

"We're getting out of here!" Bailey exclaimed.

"Hot damn!" Sybil cheered as she jumped up. "Out of my way!"

The group all clustered through the passage and tried to force their way through. Marlon took off sprinting. Bailey tried to keep up with him, but Sybil and Terra shot past him. Bailey found himself losing breath and slowing down.

"You can do it!" Emily encouraged.

"No, you can't," Sonica jeered as she passed the two.

"Oooh...this is tearing my lungs to shreds," Sybil wheezed before stopping to clutch her body in pain.

"Sucks to suck!" Sonica said, passing Sybil.

The group travelled through the same path, already cleared by Grace that would lead straight to the exit.

"I think we've got some kids approaching," Chef noted as him and Chris waited by the exit eagerly.

"Here they come," Chris said.

Marlon emerged first, and was quickly followed by Terra.

"Congrats, congrats," Chris said to the two. "If Sonica gets through here, then Legends win, but if the other Nobodies get through first then they win."

Inside the cave. Bailey and Sybil were both having clear strife trying to keep moving. Emily seemed to still have energy but chose to stay at their pace.

"Come on guys, just a little further, we're all counting on you!" she cheered.

"You're right...Gentle Spring...Princess Kokomo...Rojo, this is for you guys!" Bailey said as he forced himself to sprint.

"Well Sybil...you heard him!" Emily urged.

"Yeah yeah I just...need to wait for the feeling to return to my legs," Sybil groaned.

Bailey bolted past Sonica and charged out to the open again, throwing his hands up victoriously.

"So that's how it is, eh?" Sonica remarked as she tried to increase her pace.

Sonica would end up tripping over an uneven portion of the ground, causing her to stumble forward and fall flat on her face.

"This is our chance," Emily said as she pulled Sybil by the wrist.

"Oh no you don't!" Sonica exclaimed as she pushed herself back up.

Sybil and Emily had passed her though and were coming up to the exit. Sonica tried to catch up with them, but couldn't move fast enough, and both Emily and Sybil were able to stumble into the out victoriously.

"And just like that...The Nobodies win their third consecutive immunity!" Chris announced.

"Well...crap," Sonica groaned.

 **Confessional:**

 **Sonica-** I do not take the blame for this. What was the rest of the team doing just leaving us behind? Terrible showing!

 **Bailey-** Friendship and teamwork will always win out...except I guess, not for the other team...but it was pretty close, I'm sure they still feel good about themselves!

 **Sybil-** Okay, good...we won. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to slip into a coma after over-exerting my body's capacity by about 300%.

 **Marlon-** (sighs) Here we go again…

(Legends)

Sonica, Marlon, and Mimi gathered in the cabin together.

"Alright, it's clear what needs to happen here!" Sonica announced.

"Is it now?" Mimi said sharply. "Please tell us then, what is this clear outcome."

"We finish the job we started before!" Sonica exclaimed.

"Right, the job you put a grinding halt to, without thinking to tell any of us," Mimi retorted.

"Exactly," Sonica said, "I still don't trust Marky one bit, but Grace...she found a way out and just left the rest of us behind. Terrible teamwork and probably the reason we lost the challenge."

"The reason we lo-" Mimi tried to say, but Marlon cut her off.

"We agree, Sonica," Marlon said. "Thank you for including us in your thought process. We should probably make sure we get the votes on our side for this though."

"It won't be hard, Ada is a sensible girl," Sonica assured.

Marlon pulled Mimi out of the building before she could get any more of her angry words out.

"Can you believe that?" Mimi scoffed. "She think she can tell us who deserves to stay and go, when she was the last one to finish the challenge."

"I know, it's frustrating," Marlon said, "But I think she's being serious with us. And it might be a risk giving too much power over to the others. We haven't had great success in challenges no matter what we do, we might need to prepare to vote again."

"I don't feel any more secure having Sonica here," Mimi stated. "She jumped ship once, and I fully expect her to do it again, so honestly I don't see what difference it would make."

As Mimi and Marlon discussed, Sonica left the cabin to find Ada.

"Well, that was miserable," Sonica said, "but we can rebound from this. We just need to cut out some more of these floaters. I think we start with Grace!"

"Are you sure that's the wisest move?" Ada cautioned. "Grace voted with us last round, I don't think she has any reason to come for us now."

"Honey, if I spent my whole life trying to be sure about every decision, I'd never get out of bed in the morning," Sonica said, "This is a time for action!"

"Are you're sure, Mimi and Marlon will go along with this?" Ada asked.

"They'd be dense not to!" Sonica exclaimed.

"Right," Ada said unconvinced.

 **Confessional:**

 **Marlon-** I'm just as hurt and frustrated with Sonica's decisions, but I'm trying to view this in a strategic lens. If the other four already came together last round...why would we just leave them intact? The fact is, we seem to be losing a whole lot, no matter what we try, so that would be taking a huge risk.

 **Mimi-** I'd rather work with people who can be logical than a total wildcard. Yes, maybe it is a risk to put trust in people I haven't been as close with, but nothing would get done by playing safe!

 **Ada-** Sonica wants to get out Grace now. I could see the logic for it, but that's walking a narrow rope that could easily snap. I'm not sure if it's the best bet for her and I if we want to avoid a disastrous backfire.

Grace and Marky sat underneath a tree while Seth lay sprawled out among the branches.

"Alright guys, I don't want to get cocky here, but I think we've got the power to make this work," Marky said. "Is Ada around?"

"No, she's busy talking to Sonica," Seth said from his higher viewpoint, able to spy on the rest of the camp.

"That little sneak," Marky remarked. "But this is good for us too, since this three is where it's at and we don't need her telling us exactly what to do. If she wants to try to hold onto Sonica, I say too bad. Sonica staying does nothing good for us!"

"Hello!" Mimi exclaimed as she joined the group. "I am here to talk about getting Sonica out!"

"Already way ahead of you," Marky said. "She's done for."

"Oh...and I had a really good pitch planned out too," Mimi sighed. "Well she's awful and you can't trust a word she says."

"That would probably mean more if she bothered saying more than one word to me a day," Marky replied.

"Or we could also take out Ada," Grace spoke up.

"What?" Marky asked.

"Well you said it yourself, she can't be trusted, why keep around someone we can't trust?" Grace said. "And Seth confirmed she's been talking to Sonica, instead of us. Sounds like she is a danger to our status in the game. And it is my understanding that someone of that nature ought to be eliminated, sooner rather than later."

"That is true, but I don't trust Sonica at all either," Marky said.

"She's also targeting you," MImi said to Grace.

"That is very bad," Grace agreed

"What are we all talking about?" Ada asked as she approached the group.

"Voting out Sonica, she's crazy," Marky said.

"Hm...you may not be wrong," Adam replied.

 **Confessional:**

 **Marky-** I'll say, Ada may be a menace in her own way, since she has her hand in every pot, so she has a lot of ammo that she could use to turn things around if she wanted. Is it worth switching the target to her though?'

 **Ada-** Just as I feared, people are already targeting Sonica and there's not too much that can be done about it. Do I make a push to keep her around or just cut her loose?

 **Grace-** You voted out people you can't trust. You also vote out people who are targeting you. We should lose more, there are too many people I need to vote out.

Mimi returned to Marlon.

"Well, how's it looking?" Marlon asked.

"The others will do Sonica," Mimi said. "Although they brought up Ada too."

"Ada? That's interesting," Marlon remarked. "So is she voting Grace or Sonica then?"

"I guess we don't know," Mimi said with a shrug. "Depends on who she's telling the truth to."

"Hm, I don't like this," Marlon said, "Things are hanging in delicate balance. It could go bad for us easily."

Marlon got up and walked along the field. He soon found Sonica, also pacing in the field.

"We are all set!" Sonica declared. "We've got Ada set on taking out Grace, which means the power is still in our hands!"

"I'm not so sure about that," Marlon said, "I've heard Ada may actually be voting for you this round."

"Pfft, yeah right," Sonica scoffed. "Try not to think too much if your ideas aren't even going to make much sense."

"I don't know for sure, but she's been in a good spot in the middle of this team," Marlon said. "I don't want our fates riding on her. I think your best shot at survival would be getting others to vote for her instead of you."

"Not gonna happen!" Sonica said. "Chill out already, everything is fine, I got it under control!"

"I also would like to vote Ada," Michelle stated as she joined the three.

"Well now there's the surprise of the century," Sonica scoffed.

"Look, I'm trying to help you, and help myself too, since I don't think you leaving does me any good," Marlon said, "If you want my advice, I think right now our only play is to try to get out Ada."

 **Confessional:**

 **Marlon-** Honestly I wanted to work with Ada, but as of right now I don't have a lot of choices. She's riding the middle, and having Sonica around does me more favors, so that's what I'm going to try to push.

 **Sonica-** Why would Ada vote me out when we're working together? Dumb people don't make no sense!

 **Michelle-** It is time...to remove Ada from my sights once and for all.

(Elimination)

The Legends sat at the rows of seats before Chris and Chef on the wooden platform.

"Three for three in terms of losses," Chris noted, "Not a great start, Legends, not a great start at all."

"Yeah, we've heard the spiel before," Sonica remarked. "Just got to keep chipping away at the trash on this team."

"There are lots of targets on this team," Grace added.

"Interesting, interesting," Chris said, "Targets like...Ada and Marky? You two have gotten votes tice before now...worried?'

"Well, let me put it to you this way...so far two people have left when they tried to vote for me," Marky stated. "Hopefully people are getting the message and we don't need to try that again."

"As for me," Ada stated, "I know the only person voting for me is a deranged lunatic that no one respects in terms of this game whatsoever. So no, to say I'm not worried would be an understatement. I'm perfectly confident with where I am."

"Confident eh? On that note, seems like the last vote might have been a surprise for some people," Chris said, "Care to comment on that?"

"Surprises are what make this game interesting!" Sonica said.

"It definitely caught me off-guard," Marlon stated. "But I'm just glad it wasn't me, and I can move on."

"And how are you doing, Mimi?" Chris asked. "Losing your assistant can't be easy."

"It's taking some adjusting, but I am being strong for him!" Mimi said.

"Alright, alright, enough chitchat!" Chef barked. "Let's see some voting!"

Sonica got up and made her way to cast her vote.

(Later)

"The votes are in!" Chris announced, "Remember, the person with the most votes is out of here! Chef, would you like to start us off…?"

"The first vote," Chef read, "is for...Sonica!"

Sonica furrowed her brow.

"The second vote...is for Sonica!" Chef continued.

"Someone is getting a stern talking to after I survive this," Sonica remarked.

"Third vote...Ada!" Chef said.

Ada tapped her fingers without showing much expression on her face.

"Fourth vote...Ada!" Chef said.

The team waited in silence.

"Fifth vote...Sonica!" Chef read. "The final three votes are all for…"

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

"Sonica!"

"Hmph...so that's how it is, then?" Sonica said angrily as she got up. "Well this team just lost its best member, and you'll never recover from that! I hope you know it!"

"Okay, now please leave," Mimi said.

"Sonica...the abyss awaits!" Chris said as he pulled the lever and let Sonica plummet into darkness.

"And as for the rest of your punks….get out of my sight!" Chef barked.

"We're going, we're going," Ada said, "And hope to not be back."

"Yeah, right," Chef scoffed. "We'll see about that."

 **Votes:**

 **Sonica-** Well apparently my ass is on the line because some of these people can't be trusted, so I've got not choice but to vote for Ada!

 **Michelle-** I am voting Ada, as I will continue to do until you leave.

 **Marky-** Sonica, you shouldn't have messed with me. In another life we could have gotten along, but you chose to be my enemy.

 **Grace-** Hm...I believe today I will vote for...Sonica.

 **Seth-** Nothing personal, Sonica, but I must support my friends.

 **Mimi-** Sonica, this is for Adrian. Maybe think about what you've done.

 **Marlon-** Sonica, I don't like this...but really you only have yourself to blame.

 **Ada-** Sonica, sorry, we could have worked together, but you're just too much of a mess for me to keep in the clear.

(Conclusion)

"Well, that does it for Sonica," Chris said as he glanced down at the deep empty void. "Who will be joining her next!?"

"If you ask me, some of those Nobodies need to get trimmed," Chef said. "The clown, that sugary nice girl, the wimpy toothpick kid. None of them are winning let's be real!"

"Stranger things have happened, Chef," Chris said, "And this season is all about taking on the bizarre, so let's not count anyone out! We'll be seeing you again real soon for another exciting episode of..Total Drama...Legends vs Nobodies!"


	5. A Pirate's Death For Me

Rain had returned to Spooky Island, pouring down along the trees. The camera showed a shot of the forest with no sign of the hosts.

"Psst, over here," a voice whispered.

The camera zoomed in on a shrub where Chris McClean revealed his face.

"It's be, your beloved host, Chris!" he announced in a hushed tone. "Sorry about the discretion, but you can never be too careful out here. As for my trusted companion, Chef, he's…somewhere…"

"Dive!" Chef suddenly cried out as he dropped from a tree.

The large man pounced into the bushes and began violently wrestling with something.

"Uh Chef...Chef!" Chris tried to get his attention. "You're uh, punching a rabbit."

Chef turned to see he in fact had a small creature caught in his fists.

"It coulda been one of those monsters," Chef grunted.

"Could have...but it's a rabbit," Chris said.

"Hmph," Chef said as he let the animal go. "The area is secure...for now."

"Well good, because we've got a recap to do," Chris said. "Last time on Total Drama Legends vs Nobodies, both teams were getting tense. On the Legends, Sonica was riding on the high of her move, but was not making many friends with her attitude. On the Nobodies, Gloria and Emily both went to work trying to sabotage the other and get in the ear of anyone who would listen. It was a close challenge, but the Legends fell short for the third consecutive time. Sonica thought she was running the show and ready to finally get out her targets Marky or Grace. But in reality, she had Mimi firmly against her, and in a near unanimous decision, was sent packing. Who will follow in her footsteps? Find out tonight on Total Drama...Legends vs Nobodies!"

(Legends)

Mimi sat beneath a tree as the light rain trickled down around her. The looming branches acted as a bit of shelter, keeping her mostly dry.

"This is some superb environment setting," she remarked, running her arm through the rain. "You can't simulate something so...real! The feeling, the smell, the refreshing aura of calm with a hint of brewing tension."

"I know what you mean," Marky said as he slid down the tree to join Mimi. "This atmosphere is setting the tone for something sinister. It's almost like I can feel the evil ideas brewing in my mind!"

"Ooh you don't say!?" Mimi exclaimed while clasping her hands together. "What sort of evil ideas? Do share!"

"Hm...well, uh...they're still in the brewing stage," Marky replied. "Maybe we could sabotage the challenge!"

"I like it!" Mimi said. "How though?"

"I...don't know," Marky said. "Maybe we'll put a pin in that."

"We'd probably need to know what the challenge is first too," Mimi pointed out.

"That too. Good point," Marky agreed.

"So do tell me, since I'm so very curious," Mimi continued, "You're evil, yes? How exactly does that work?"

"Evil in training," Marky corrected. "I got my foot in the door of this organization that wants to burn the world...or take over it...or take over the world and then burn it. The mission statement is hazy at best, but the point is we're here to do bad things!"

"Ah I see...why?" Mimi asked.

"Someone has to," Marky said with a shrug.

"Fair enough," Mimi replied. "Have they been very successful."

"Eh, we came close to world domination one time," Marky said. "Turns out our last cheque bounced though, so things had to be put on hold, and well...let's just banks are surprisingly hard to break into."

"Did you try the vent?" Mimi asked. "Whenever I'm playing Claudette Scarlet I climb through the vent. They never see it coming!"

"Yeah we did, but it was bolted on really tight, so that was kind of a bust," Marky answered. "But it's okay, we've been working the little things lately. Just a few months back, we slashed an old lady's tires. You should have seen her face! Well actually...you should have, since none of us did. We had to book it straight out of there."

"Well that's not very nice," Mimi remarked.

"Yeah...it kinda fits with the evil vibe," Marky pointed out.

"Valid," Mimi said.

So what about you? Thinking of crossing to the dark side?" Marky asked.

"Me? Oh no no, I couldn't," Mimi said. "I only ever play heroic roles. Morally ambiguous at worst, but those usually end in heroic deeds so it works out!"

"Well maybe you should give it a try," Marky said, "You could fit right in. Even if it's just for one of your films, why not ask for a villainous role?"

"Me, a villain? I don't know about that," Mimi replied uncertainly. "Adrian says I should steer clear of villainous roles, lest it tampers with my reputation."

"Well, the first step would be to reject authority and do what YOU want!" Marky encouraged.

"Hello there!" someone suddenly exclaimed and inserted into the conversation.

The two looked over to see Ada rushing through the rain to join them.

"Lovely place you've got here, a bit damp but can't complain," she remarked. "Having some detailed strategy talks are we?"

"No actually," Mimi said, "We were just talking about…"

"Life," Marky finished.

"I don't believe that for a second, but it doesn't matter, I'm here now so let's catch back up to speed," Ada said. "What's our next move here? Sonica is gone, so where do we go from here?"

"Well, I'm...not too sure," Mimi remarked.

'Something tells me you already have an idea of your own," Marky said to Ada.

"Well, I have been analyzing the situation," Ada stated. "It seems to me like we're all good with Grace and Seth, so that only leaves two options, Marlon and Michelle. And one of them has repeatedly tried to get me out. I've been very patient with Michelle, I've tried explaining to her that she's a delusional nitwit in the least condescending tone possible-"

"How'd that go?" Marky remarked sarcastically.

"Hard to say, she walked away by the time I got two syllables out," Ada replied. "But point is, I think by this time we've all given Michelle enough leeway for her strength, but it's time to start looking beyond that and realize that she's not a team player and we can't afford to keep her around."

"Fine by me," Marky said with a shrug.

"Yeah, I've never really been too close with Michelle," Mimi said, "Although I appreciate the hard work she's put in-"

"That's what she wants you to think," Ada said, "She's using fear as a weapon. It's a common tactic of scammers and conarists, keep people so afraid of some abstract concept that they think they can't afford to lose you. Well it's a farce! And I say it's time we put the foot down."

"You seem very passionate about this," Mimi remarked.

"I've been sitting on this for a while now," Ada replied. "Like I said, my patience has hit its limit. Good talk!"

Meanwhile, back at the cabin, Marlon was looking around for anyone in the area. It seemed as though the others had fanned out among the woods, leaving him mostly alone. He managed to catch sight of Michelle patrolling the walls though.

"Oh uh, Michelle, good to see you," Marlon said as he walked up to her. "How have you been?"

"There was a full moon last night," Michelle stated. "You know what that means?"

"Uh...Werewolves?" Marlon asked.

"Bone-sucking slugs," Michelle answered sternly.

"Oh," Marlon replied.

"Oh is right," Michelle said. "As for how I've been...vigilant. I need to be, we're all in grave danger."

"Well uh...I appreciate you keeping us safe," Marlon said, "I was wondering though if you might have a second to talk, or just listen to me talk? You see, it's just, the others seem to be bus-"

Michelle took off marching to the woods.

"I'll take that as a yes!" Marlon said as he rushed to keep up with her. "You see, normally I'd just talk to Mimi who's sort of been my closest friend out here, but lately she's just been spending more time with Marky. I think she's getting a little too close to him, personally. Not that I'm against her reaching out, but she suddenly seems to have all this trust in him, and I'm just not sure if he can be trusted. He's got other friends, and we're sort of just putting ourselves as his mercy, you know?"

Michelle began scaling a tree with incredible speed.

"Wow, you are good at that," Marlon said as he tried to follow after her, while continuing his story. "Anyways, I'm feeling a bit confused and concerned about the future. Losing three challenges isn't exactly the most reassuring feeling, but maybe if I felt like things were going my way I would be okay with it. I did not like Adrian leaving though, and even Sonica leaving felt like a step back. So now I feel like I've got absolutely no power, and I just don't know what to do about it!"

Michelle leapt from a branch and firmly landed in a patch of shrubs a small distance away. Marlon sighed to himself before leaping after her, landing in a roll and following after the girl.

"So, with all that being said, my options have been severely limited," Marlon said. "I can't really afford to vote for any of Grace, Seth, or Marky since they're all close. I mean, technically if you and Ada could agree to-"

"No," Michelle stated.

"Yeah I expected that much," Marlon sighed. "You can see what I mean then? I liked Ada well enough, but well, if I don't want to throw one of my original allies under the bus, that's pretty much my only option to vote here."

Michelle suddenly came to a halt, with Marlon just stopping himself before bumping into her. He saw her stand before several purple dewdrop-shaped flowers.

"Ooh, pretty," Marlon noted.

Michelle drove her saber directly into the patch of earth where the flowers emerged. The ground let out a light squeal and then black goo began to ooze upwards.

"Uh...what was that?" Marlon asked.

"It's better if you don't know," Michelle stated.

"Right," Marlon said, "well...thanks for the talk!"

 **Confessional:**

 **Ada-** To tell you the truth, I may have meant every word I said about Michelle and her scam tactics, but she is NOT who I want gone. Seeing Marky and Mimi getting comfy together, the picture is becoming clear. With Sonica gone, I've lost some of my leverage, and I cannot let Marky get the upper hand here. Oh no, he's played her part and now it's time for him to go.

 **Marky-** Who does Ada really think she is, coming in and acting so smug about "talking strategy without her." I've never felt great about her, and by now I don't even need her anymore. She needs to be the one who goes next.

 **Marlon-** These last few rounds have been frustrating and disheartening. This isn't how I expected things to go at all. And I don't mean I expected it to all be easy, I was ready to play my part and fight my way to the end, but I really was not counting on things turning to a mess so quickly. I thought I had allies, and pretty much all of them had different plans and well...now I feel like I have next to nothing. I don't know what to do, but I'm trying to stay positive about it. It's just hard sometimes (sighs).

(Nobodies)

Bailey and Rory stood together in the woods, Bailey trying to arrange Rory's body so that he was standing tall. The larger boy directed his smaller friend to face a rotting tree stump.

"Okay, buddy, let's see your training in action," Bailey said. "Let's imagine that this scary tree stump is actually the most fearsome monster of all!"

"Godzilla?" Rory whimpered.

"Uh, no," Bailey said, "Godzilla's actually pretty nice one you get to know him!"

"I don't want to get to know him!" Rory sobbed. "What if he steps on me!? Even if it was an accident!"

Rory was shaking violently now and crouching while covering his face.

"It's not Godzilla!" Bailey insisted. "It's something much scarier!"

"That's even worse!" Rory cried as he ran to hide behind a tree.

"It is...the personification of your own self-doubt!" Bailey announced.

"Does it have sharp teeth?" Rory stammered.

"No, it's...it's a metaphor, work with me here," Bailey said, "What I'm trying to say is, the only thing holding you back is yourself."

"And sharp teeth! I think something with teeth could be a pretty good reason to hold back," Rory said.

"It doesn't have teeth, it's just a tree stump!" Bailey insisted.

"Oh…" Rory sighed in relief as he stepped out from hiding.

"A tree stump that represents your inner demon!" Bailey concluded.

"YIKES!" Rory panicked and immediately ran back to hiding.

"Rory, my friend, you're never going to get over your fear if you don't confront it head on," Bailey said.

"That's okay! I'm getting by, right?" Rory said. "If I lose this game...oh well! I can still go home and live a mundane life."

"No!" Bailey exclaimed as he joined Rory and pulled him out. "That's not the right way to think about this. If you just give up, you'll be letting me down. And not only that, but you know who else…?"

"Myself," Rory finished, picking himself back up.

"Well yes, but more importantly, Princess Kokomo!" Bailey said. "She believes in you!"

"Oh yeah, that's a pretty big deal too," Rory said.

"Hi guys!" Emily exclaimed, joining the group. "Another exciting training session, I see? Rory, good job, I think it's so great that you're pushing yourself to your boundaries to protect us all from that nasty rotted piece of wood!"

"It's supposed to be Godzilla," Rory said.

"It's not Godzilla!" Bailey exclaimed. "It's Rory's self-doubt!"

"Well, whatever it is, I feel so much safer knowing that we've got big strong Rory here to keep us protected!" Emily exclaimed as she hugged Rory. "But you know...I think there's another monster on this island we have to worry about."

"Oh no!" Rory sobbed. "The Loch Ness Monster!?"

"What no? We're nowhere near Scotland," Emily pointed out.

"Climate change could have caused it to migrate!" Rory cried.

"Well, no, I was actually referring to a human monster," Emily said. "You might know her as Gloria."

"Gloria's a monster?" Rory gasped.

"She might as well be!" Emily said. "I have been nothing but nice, and yet she's going around spreading lies about me being...f...f...fake!"

Emily broke into tears and leaned on Rory's shoulder.

"There...there," Rory said awkwardly as he tried to pat her on the back.

'Oh you always know what to say to make me feel better," Emily said while wiping away a tear. "But seriously she needs to go asap. If she's calling me fake, then who knows what she's saying about the rest of you!? We can't let this go on! She must be stopped!"

"Oh...kay," Rory said uncertainly.

"Thank you so much!" Emily exclaimed as she hugged Rory. "I knew I could count on my hero! Now if you don't mind, I need to spread the word!"

Emily took off skipping away from the two boys.

"Well huh...that was sudden," Bailey remarked. "What do you make of all that?"

"Well I uh...I hm...I really don't," Rory stammered.

"Hm...Gentle Spring says you're acting funny," Bailey said. "Is something on your mind?"

"Well, Gloria warned me not to trust Emily," Rory said. "But now Emily says we can't believe Gloria. It's sort of hurting my head. Who am I supposed to believe?"

'I can't answer that question," Bailey said. "A knight of Kokomo needs to learn to trust his heart!"

"I...don't know what my heart is saying," Rory said.

"That's okay," Bailey replied. "We can take some time to figure it out."

Meanwhile, Gloria had ushered Darren, Chloe, and Zach into the back of the cabin.

"Alright, allies, time for an alliance meeting," Gloria announced.

"Sounds thrilling," Zach remarked dryly.

"I'm all for discussion and staying in touch, but we haven't had to vote once," Chloe said. "What is there really to discuss?"

"I'll tell you what there is to discuss!" Gloria said. "This team has a little bug that needs to be squashed! Emily!"

"Here we go again," Zach sighed.

"Emily?" Chloe said in confusion. "Over Rory?'

"Yes, over Rory!" Gloria said. "Maybe you haven't seen it, but my radar has been flaring up on that little sneak. She's been fake all around. And I also kind of told her I would make sure she was the next vote at all costs."

"Well that might not have been the best idea," Chloe said.

"It was a heat of the moment thing! She had to hear it though, so there's no turning back now," Gloria said.

"There's no denying that Rory is the weakest in challenges though," Chloe said. "Do we really want to risk keeping him around?'

"Let me let you in on a little secret," Gloria said. "We haven't lost a single challenge. I think we'll be fine."

"That's fair enough," Darren added.

"Thank you," Gloria said. "See? He gets it, you two need to get with the program. If we swap or merge, you know what Emily's going to do? The same thing she always does. Suck up to everyone and pretend she's everyone's best friend. How can we trust someone like that?"

"I think this is just overplaying," Chloe said.

"Oh are you underplaying!?" Gloria countered.

"Please, I know what I'm doing," Chloe said. "I don't know what issues you've gotten into with Emily, but I think she hasn't been anything but a dedicated player. I'd rather not vote her out. Meeting adjourned!"

"You can't adjourn the meeting! Only the one who started the meeting has that authority!" Gloria accused.

"Good bye," Chloe said as she left the room.

"Can you believe that!?" Gloria scoffed to Darren and Zach.

"Maybe she's got a point," Darren remarked.

"Oh no, don't you go betraying me too!" Gloria accused.

"Sorry," Darren replied.

"Maybe it's not worth blowing up," Zach said. "Chloe seems to really not want to do this. It's going to be hard enough to make this move happen without her support."

"Um, excuse me?" Gloria scoffed. "Did I become a lesbian over night?"

"What now?" Zach asked in confusion.

"Because my two boyfriends are proving to be a couple of girls!" Gloria snapped.

"That's sexist," Darren said.

"And I'm not your boyfriend," Zach said,

"Are you two really going to let a girl tell you what to do!?" Gloria demanded. "Just let her push you around!?"

"There are so many ways I could answer that, but pretty sure you wouldn't like any of them," Zach retorted.

"Look, I know what I'm talking about, and forgive me if I care about the sake of the team," Gloria said. "Moving forward with Emily is inviting a flight risk into our plans!"

"I thought you just wanted her out since you don't like her, and you're petty," Darren remarked.

"Well duh! But the sake of that team is a good backup reason," Gloria huffed.

 **Confessional:**

 **Emily-** The gloves are coming off! I know Gloria's been going around trying to taint my name even though I have been nothing but a sweet angel this whole time! (sobs) Well two can play at that game. I will make sure everyone knows that she is a lying banshee and one that we can do without!

 **Rory-** Oh dear...all this talk of monsters, and now dilemmas...what have I gotten myself into!? Okay, okay, time to listen to my heart… (pauses in silence) Well uh...hm, if I'm listening to this right, it seems to be like I can't really buy what either Emily or Gloria is saying. I think they may just be wanting to use me, and oooh...I can't really blame them. But if I'm going to stick up for myself, I can't be used, I need to be useless! Oh wait...oh no, that's not good either. Hm, this isn't helping that much…

 **Chloe-** All this talk of booting Emily over Rory...no, just no. Apparently Gloria got into some drama with her, but I'm not letting Gloria's personal vendettas dictate what happens on this team. We've had a clear vote from the start, that's never changed. Sure he's trying and I applaud him for it, but we all came here to win, and I'm not about to weaken this team just so someone can get their "moment" he's had his chances to step it up, now's the time to prove it!

 **Darren-** Man, I think some of these people are starting to get cabin fever here. We haven't had to go to a single vote yet, and I think that's starting to mess with a few heads. It's getting dramatic, and I just say leave me out of it. As long as it's not me, we're all good, so I'll let the girls work this out and just stick with where we end up going.

(Legends)

Mimi returned to the cabin as the rain started to pick up. She found Marlon lying on a bunk, facing up at the ceiling.

"Good on you staying dry," Mimi remarked. "The rain was nice and serene when it was just a light flicker, but now it's getting a bit too much for me."

"Have a nice chat?" Marlon asked.

"You bet," Mimi replied. "I think I'm really getting through to Marky. We're really forming one of those connections. What about you? Anything exciting to report?"

"I had a nice talk with Michelle," Marlon said.

"How'd it go?" Mimi asked.

"I talked she...might have listened," Marlon said. "I'm actually not sure if she even heard a word I said."

"I did," Michelle stated, suddenly entering the building. "I just didn't care."

"Oh...well, hi," Marlon said.

"By all means, continue your pointless strategy discussion on a game that doesn't matter," Michelle said. "Don't let my presence deter you from finding meaningless distraction in this futile practice."

"Wow, she's feeling notably nihilistic today," Mimi remarked,

"It's fine," Marlon said, "I think we'll need to count on Michelle here, since if we're going to get through the vote tonight, I think our only shot here is to take out Ada who's been playing the middle. It would put us in a deadlock position if we had to vote again, but it's better than being doomed."

"Or maybe we could win the challenge!" Mimi exclaimed. "I've just got a feeling about this one."

"Your feeling is wrong," Michelle stated bluntly. "The rains have awoken dormant beasts, This next challenge will be particularly messy and unsafe."

"And that's why we're going to win!" Mimi exclaimed. "This is our moment!"

"No offense, but I've been hoping for our moment these last three rounds," Marlon sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it, I think we'll need to prepare as though we're going to have a vote."

"Well, in that case I am fine with voting out Ada," Mimi said. "She seems a bit intrusive honestly, and you know I've never had a problem putting her name out there."

"About time," Michelle grunted.

Still out in the rain, Marky, Seth, and Grace wandered through the thicker part of the woods. The trees offered some protection from the water, though trickles still made it through and coated the land.

"The rains wash away the dirt of the past...and allow for new life to grow," Seth said as he ran his hands along the ground. "It's a good thing. There will be a fresh start tonight...perhaps on that's been less tainted."

"That is good," Grace agreed. "I quite like the rain for now though. It's cold, but soothing."

"A gift from nature, a gentle nudge to remind us to stay vigilant, but embrace change," Seth said.

"So uh...on that note," Marky said, "Maybe we should think about who needs to leave if we have a vote again?"

"Ah yes, wash out the poison, so that the flowers may thrive," Seth recounted. "Did you not suggest Michelle earlier?"

"Were you listening to that?" Marky asked.

"I was listening to the trees," Seth replied. "But I was listening to the trees in the same basic area and managed to overhear that much."

"Well, I said that to Ada, but I'm actually not too sure how I feel about Ada," Marky said. "Actually, scratch that, I'm pretty sure I don't trust her. I never have fully, and now I think we have the chance to get rid of her."

"Fine with me," Grace stated.

"Likewise," Seth agreed.

"Well then...guess that's the plan," Marky said. "That was easy."

"Hm...look how the water flows," Seth said as he directed to the ebbing flow of water that seeped into the soil. "It follows the simplest path, and gets where it is meant to be. So shall we."

"Works for me," Marky said. "So uh...what do we do now?"

"Perhaps we could enjoy the splendor that nature has to offer," Seth said as he pushed aside some large ferns, presenting a small patch protected under the large leaves.

"This is nice," Grace remarked as she rested on the ground.

"You sure there's no uh...you know, creepy crawlies waiting to pounce?" Marky asked.

"They won't find us here," Seth said. "We can breathe easy. For now."

"We really can," Marky remarked, cracking a slight smile as he sat down. "You know, I wasn't really sure what I expected out of all of this...but things have really been going our way here. I'm glad I can count on you guys."

"A tree may grow, but only if there is a seed planted," Seth stated.

"Uh...you're going to have to catch me up on your metaphors," Marky replied.

"Ooh, I think I can help," Grace said, "I have been working on studying metaphors. I believe he means that without you bringing us together, we'd never had had the chance for this success. It' quite nice, and not incorrect either."

"Aw, well thanks guys," Marky said.

A sudden gust of wind trailed between the leaves. Grace shivered and instinctively leaned against the nearest body, Marky, who in turn found his arm place around her shoulders protectively. Grace let out a sudden laugh.

"What's so funny?" Marky asked.

"It's just...this is nice," Grace replied. "I didn't know it would feel like this."

"Didn't know what would?" Marky asked.

"Having friends," Grace said. "Pardon me if I've misread the situation, I've only ever heard of the concept secondhand, but it would seem as though our relationship has currently fulfilled all the necessary requirements to qualify as friendship. And I quite like it."

"Yeah...I do too," Marky agreed.

 **Confessional:**

 **Mimi-** Marky had proposed getting out Michelle, but come to think of it, I'd rather keep her around and just take out Ada. She's very good at sticking her nose in, and really do any of us know where she stands long-term? I think that may be the best call if we do have to vote again.

 **Marky-** I'm supposed to be working on spreading evil, not making friends! What's gotten into me!? I have to admit, it is nice though. I've thought of these guys as allies, minions even, but somewhere along the way I guess that changed and I didn't even notice and now here we are. I guess I just have to deal with it.

 **Grace-** I've never had friends before, it always seemed like a lovely fantasy, but one out of my reach due to a lack of much access to peers my age. I'd simply accepted it might not be for me. Now though that I have a few to call my own, I wish I had tried to find them sooner.

(Nobodies)

"So, let me see if I understand you here," Bailey said to Rory as the two boys walked back to the cabin. "After taking time to contemplate what your heart is saying, you think we can't trust either Gloria or Emily."

"Well uh...when you say it like that it's kind of harsh," Rory said. "But well...basically. At least not yet. I think they just want my vote, so uh...we're going to need to do a bit more digging and thinking before we jump to conclusions."

"You know what, good for you! Princess Kokomo says that you're making the smart decision," Bailey said. "And you know what we do need now!?"

"I really don't, I think I burnt all my heart energy coming to that conclusion," Rory sighed.

"We need an ally that we CAN trust!" Bailey said. "The game is afoot, so we can't let it pass us by. It's your time to shine!"

"Me!?" Rory said as he turned pale.

"Yes you!" Bailey said. "Win them over with your charm! Gentle Spring knows you can do it!"

"Okay...okay, I'm just going to do this, without thinking, just get it over with," Rory said, while taking deep breaths.

Rory stepped into the cabin where he found Sybil sitting on a bunk.

"Uh...hi," Rory greeted.

"Whattaya want!?" Sybil snapped.

"Oh uh nothing...sorry," Rory said as he turned around; however he stopped himself and turned back to face her, "Well actually there is uh...one thing."

"Uuuuugggggggggh, Whaaaaaat!?" Sybil groaned.

"Um...alliance?" Rory asked meekly.

"Oh...yeah sure whatever," Sybil said.

"Oh uh...just like that?" Rory asked

"Why not? I've been meaning to get one of those going, I think they're kind of important right?" Sybil said.

"Yeah...kind of," Rory replied.

"Well you're the first person to ask, so good job," Sybil said. "It was written in the stars that we would succeed, or something like that. Stars don't lie about this sort of thing. We're good."

"Great, "Rory said before turning around to offer a thumbs-up to Bailey who returned the gesture.

Over by the woods, Terra was working to use more vines as rope and tie together a net in the branches.

"Hi there!" Emily greeted from the ground with a bright smile. "What are you doing!?"

"There's still monsters out there, I'm still gonna set traps," Terra said. "Safety first."

"Ooh, wow good job! That is really great for you to take initiative like that," Emily exclaimed.

"Yeah I know you don't really care, so you can cram the sugary act," Terra scoffed as she climbed down the tree.

"Oh no no, I DO care I really do! It means a lot to me," Emily exclaimed.

"Please, you're only talking to me cause you want something, otherwise you'd have never even noticed what I was doing," Terra replied. "That's just your style isn't it? Sleep easy and ignore the problems all around you, whether it be monsters in the woods or the endless screams of hungry children that fill the night."

"Wait...screaming? I didn't hear anything," Emily said uncertainly.

'That's because you sleep right through it! Easier to ignore the pain and pretend like we're all fine and happy, right?" Terra scoffed. "Just stick with what's easier, ignore the screams, ignore the countless problems that some people might actually face even if it's a hopeless futile battle because no one else wants to open their eyes or lift a finger! You're nothing but fake."

"F….f...fake!?" Emily gasped, clutching her heart. "How...how could you say that!?"

"Weeeeeeellll!" Jeffrey suddenly exclaimed, popping out of the bushes, "I'd say she does it by exhaling air through her throat and then shaped by the tongue and teeth to form the words you just heard. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa heeeeeeeeeeee hehehehehehehehe Oooooooo foooooooo WAH! GET IT!?"

Jeffrey obnoxiously slapped Emily on the back, knocking her into a tree.

"THAT'S HOW SHE COULD SAY IT! BECAUSE THAT'S HOW YOU TALK!" Jeffrey cackled. "I'm dying here, EEEEEEEHHEHEHEHEHE WOOOOOHOOOO!"

"Have you just been standing there the whole time?" Terra asked.

"Yes, one of your traps got caught on my ankle and I've been too afraid that if I move it might tear right off," Jeffrey whimpered.

"My traps don't do that," Terra assured, "...but they should."

 **Confessional:**

 **Rory-** Okay I did it...I actually got an alliance! WOOHOO! That uh...that wasn't so bad. So uh...now what?

 **Sybil-** I haven't exactly been playing the strategic game, but let's be real, this team is a damn mess. A little hocus pocus from me and I can probably keep them scrambling. Still if someone wants to work with me, I sure as hell aren't going to turn them down.

 **Emily-** That's two people who have called me fake now! What...where am I going wrong!? Is there something about my tone of voice that comes off as fake!? How do I fix this!? It's an absolute disaster!

(Legends)

As the rain continued to pour down, a lone white bird fluttered through the air and towards the cabin. It perched on a window sill, where Mimi noticed it.

"Aw, hey there, little guy," she cooed.

As she got closer though, she noticed a note tied around its leg.

'Uh-oh," she remarked as she pulled the not out. "Looks like it's time to get back to work."

"Challenge time?" Marlon asked as he joined Mimi. "Better find the others."

"We're here, we're here," Marky announced as the rest came in from the rain. "What's it say!?"

"For your next challenge, head to Pirate Pinnacles where you will search for the Ghost Ship, The Blue Thunder," Mimi read.

"Ooh, sounds like fun," Marky remarked.

"Actually!" Ada announced. "This glorification of pirates is a toxic mentality that needs to come to a stop. Do we make a fantastic storybook treatment of thieves, smugglers, terrorists!? I don't think so, but slap on a skull and crossbones-"

"Yeah nobody cares," Marky said. "Let's just go."

"These ghost pirates had better stay in the afterlife," Michelle sneered. "Or else I'll make them wish they had!"

 **Confessional:**

 **MImi-** This losing streak has gone on a bit too long for my tastes, but then again that's sort of what makes it a losing streak. Three is a good number. You've made your point universe. We've hit rock bottom, so THIS is the time we turn it around!

 **Marlon-** A win really is what we need here more than anything. I've been letting these last few days really get me down, but I need to focus, it's not over yet. If we can pull this off I might just be able to bounce back!

(Nobodies)

The team had also gotten the note and were making their way through the woods, following the direction on the back of the note.

"This rain certainly isn't making it easy," Zach sighed as he tried to make out the drawing while it was pelted by water. "I think we're on the right track though."

"The rain isn't so bad," Bailey assured. "Gentle Spring says if it wasn't for rain, we'd never get sun."

"Well that's just wrong," Sybil remarked. "And I am not loving the right ride now. I'm drenched!"

"Are you going to melt?" Gloria jabbed.

"HaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAHaaaaaaaaaaa! MELT!" Jeffrey screamed.

"Yeah...that's what I said," Gloria said.

"LIKE A WITCH! HAH HA HA HA OOOOH THAT'S A GOOD ONE!" Jeffrey continued to howl.

"Yes…" Gloria said with irritation.

"Like…LIKE THE WICKED WITCH! HAAA! THE WICKED WITCH FROM THE WIZARD OF OZ!" Jeffrey continued to spout. "SHE...SHE SAID YOU'RE GOING TO MELT….CAUSE YOU'RE A...snrrrk Pffft HAHAHAHAH A WITCH!"

"Yes, that was the implication," Gloria sighed.

"BECAUSE….MMMMFFFH HAHAHAHA BECAUSE...WHEN SHE GETS WET, SHE….MELTS! AAAAAAHA! GET IT!? DO YOU GET IT!? SHE SAID YOU WOULD MELT IN THE RAIN...JUST LIKE THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST!" Jeffrey shouted directly in Sybil's face.

"Thank you for breaking my insult down to the lowest possible level and violating it into something unrecognizable," Gloria scoffed.

"Guys, guys, I think we're closing in," Zach announced.

The group came into a clear that lead to the coast. The waves crashed along the cliffside, but shortly out into the sea were several stone spires.

"I'd say chances are we're looking at Pirate Pinnacles," Zach noted.

"Ooh, I've got a bad feeling about this," Rory shuddered.

"I don't know, I think it sounds pretty exciting," Darren said. "I feel like we're in a real adventure here."

"But...but...what if we run into some undead pirates!?" Rory said.

"Let's be real, there's probably something just as scary lurking right behind the corner on this island," Chloe pointed out.

"Hm...that is a valid point," Rory said. "Okay, brave new me...time to not die!"

The team made their way along the cliff and neared the pointed pinnacles that loomed just off the shore.

 **Confessional:**

 **Jeffrey-** Pffffft HA! MELT!? I've got to write that down, that's solid gold!

 **Rory-** I am trying to make the most of this brave new me mantra. It's uh...well it's going to take some time, but if I can just shut my brain off long enough I can sometimes forget that I'm probably going to die!

 **Darren-** Sure things have been freaky out here, but it also makes for some good stories. Hunting for a haunted pirate ship? That's something that not many people can say they've gotten the chance to do.

(Legends)

The team walked along the beach, Marlon taking the lead as he tried to read the map.

"I am freezing," Ada remarked as the rain only increased.

"Yes, this is quite uncomfortable," Grace noted.

"Keep it up, guys, we can't let this weather hold us back," Marlon said, though even he seemed to be struggling against the icy rain falling over his face.

"Look, I think those are the Pinnacles," Mimi said as she pointed the spires in the distance.

The team picked up the pace. As they approached, they realized the Nobodies were already on top of the pointed stones.

"Too slow again, slowpokes," Gloria taunted.

"Ugh!" Ada groaned.

"This isn't over yet," Marlon said. "We can still catch up."

Grace meanwhile had wandered further up the beach where something caught her eye.

"Oh...hello," she beckoned to her team.

"Well, what do we do now?" Marky asked. "Go for a swim?"

"The water is rough, but if we face its test, we may be allowed to pass," Seth remarked while dipping a foot in the turbulent water.

"Not sure if I want to put my faith in that," Marky said uncertainly.

"May I have your attention please?" Grace spoke up again.

"It's pretty much our best shot," Marlon said. "We don't know exactly what we're looking for."

"I think I may have found something," Grace urged again.

"What's that, dear?" Mimi asked Grace.

Grace just silently pointed upwards along the beach. The others turned to see a pair of skull shaped torches that were burning with blue flames even in the pouring rain. The two torches led to a cave in the side of the cliff.

"Well, that certainly looks important," Marlon remarked.

"Nah, nah, don't be fooled," Ada said as she tapped her fist against one of the torches. "These aren't some ancient mystical monuments, these are storebought plain and simple."

"Well wouldn't that be more of a reason to follow them then, if since clearly this is Chris's doing?" Mimi pointed out.

"That does make sense," Ada said.

"This is taking too long," Michelle scoffed. "If we're looking for a boat, it's going to be in the water."

Michelle marched into the water and began to swim strongly despite the waves.

"We'll check out the cave," Marlon said as he gathered Grace and Ada. "I guess the rest of you just keep a lookout."

"Can do!" Mimi said.

"The water isn't so bad," Seth remarked as he floated on his back, carried by the waves.

"Well...looks like we're doing this then!" Marky said as he charged towards the water.

He was immediately washed right back onto the beach.

"Or maybe not," he coughed while sputtering up water.

 **Confessional:**

 **Michelle-** The sea may be home to deep dark creatures that have never seen the light of day...but they'd better keep it that way if they don't want to end up skewered on my sword!

 **Ada-** Getting Marlon and Grace together alone may actually be great for my strategy. I want to get a feel for what they could think about the vote, and maybe I can plant some seeds.

 **Seth-** Respect the waters and they'll respect you. The waves won't be tamed, but they may be befriended.

(Nobodies)

The team had made their way up to the top of the spires and could look down and out at the storming waters around them.

"Well, what now?" Terra asked.

"Anyone see a boat?" Chloe asked.

"No, Chloe, we don't see a boat, I think maybe one of us would have said something by now," Zach retorted.

"Not sure about a boat, but I think there's something down there," Bailey said as he pointed down at the pool of water between the spires.

The group looked down to see moving silhouettes in the depths and glittering flecks.

"We're supposed to go swimming in there?" Emily asked nervously.

"Right now it's the only lead we've got," Chloe said.

"Well, no time like the present," Darren said before jumping straight into the water.

"Darren, wait! Don't-" Gloria cried, but she ended up slipping over the edge and plummeting down into the water as well.

"Looks like we're doing this," Chloe said, leaping after the two.

"Jeronimo!" Bailey exclaimed, cannonballing in after.

"Okay, don't think, just don't think," Rory told himself, leaping in.

Emily prepared to jump after, but suddenly she was grabbed by Zach.

"Wait! Everyone wait!" Zach exclaimed. "Look!"

Zach pointed out along the body of water where they could now see a glowing blue silhouette of a ship in the mist.

"I think that may be what we're looking for," he said.

"That's pretty far out," Terra said. "Do we want for it to come closer?"

"I think we're going to have to swim," Zach said.

Zach leapt in the opposite direction of the spires and began to paddle through the water towards the cloud of mist.

"Okie Dokie!" Emily exclaimed following after him.

Terra and Jeffrey came up behind her. Sybil stayed where she was.

"Yeah, I'm not doing that," she remarked. "Have fun!"

 **Confessional:**

 **Sybil-** Eh, I don't think I'd be much help in this challenge, so I'll do the considerate thing and just stay out of the way. I know, genius.

 **Rory-** Did I really just jump into raging water? Oooh what's happening to me!?

 **Jeffrey-** Well it's certainly a good thing that someone managed to….SEA! The pirate ship! HO HO HO OOOOOH! SEA! BECAUSE IT'S OUT ON THE SEA...EVEN THOUGH IT'S TECHNICALLY A LAKE! I'M CHOKING THAT'S TOO GOOD! WHEEEEEEE!

Chloe, Rory, Bailey, Gloria, and Darren all splashed into the roaring waters. As they submerged into the deep body, they found that the underwater terrain was varied in plateaus and canyons, causing the blurred silhouettes they had seen. Chloe dived through the water, clearly intend on exploring the deeper regions. Rory and Bailey glanced at each other uncertainly. Bailey gestured to follow after Chloe, which Rory turned to do. Suddenly he was knocked aside though, slamming into Bailey. Both of them had been shoved by Michelle who was moving like a torpedo through the water. She jabbed Darren with an elbow as well, before chasing after Chloe. Chloe managed to notice her coming though, and swerved aside. The two ended up awkwardly colliding.

Gloria meanwhile floundered in the water, shaking her hands in terror. She managed to composure herself a bit though as something glittering among the shadows caught her eye . She eagerly swam towards the source of the light. The girl neared a golden necklace that seemed to be stuck on a small jutting stone. Her eyes widened in delight as she reached out to grab it. Suddenly though, the entire stone began to move. It revealed itself to be a massive inky black fish, dangling the necklace on an antenna that hung over several rows of sharp teeth. Gloria opened her mouth to scream silently underwater before she was engulfed entirely.

Chloe and Michelle continued to race each other. Both had spotted an opening to a cavern among the rocky canyons. As they entered the crack, it opened up into an underground air pocket. Both took a deep breath as they surfaced and pulled themselves into the dank cavern.

"Well…" Chloe said between heavy breaths, "we both clearly are putting in the extra work to get through this. Maybe we could call a truce till we find what we're looking for?"

"No," Michelle stated as she walked deeper into the cavern.

"Oh so that's how it's going to be?" Chloe said chasing after her. "I'm trying to be nice here, but I guess you think you're better than me."

"I am better than you," Michelle said.

"Well that's where you're wrong, I've got all the skills I need to survive right along your side," Chloe said.

"You're arrogant," Michelle said. "You think yourself invincible, and that's foolish. It will spell your demise."

"Oh and I take it you really are so untouchable?" Chloe scoffed.

"On the contrary," Michelle said, "I expect my mortality every single day I fight this war. It's what gives me the fire to fight, because it's life or death for me. You would benefit from doing the same."

"Hm, well...we'll see about that," Chloe replied.

Back in the water, Bailey, Rory, and Darren all pulled up back to the surface. Seth continued to float on his back and seemed entirely uninterested in exploring the depths.

"Well that was scary," Rory breathed.

"I'll say," Bailey agreed. "Should we go after Chloe? She might need our help."

"I think we're the ones who need her help actually," Rory remarked.

"Guys...where's Gloria?" Darren asked.

 **Confessional:**

 **Michelle-** I refuse to show fear in the face of the persistent enemy, but I've addressed death every time I grip my weapon. It comes with the job, and the only way to truly face these impossible odds is to expect that each day will be your last.

 **Chloe-** Obviously I want to win the challenge, but neither Michelle or I will get much done if we keep fighting with each other. It's mutually beneficial to just put that aside, but apparently she's above that.

 **Darren-** One second Gloria was there and then I got turned around a bit, and suddenly she's gone. This is far from good.

As Ada, Grace, and Marlon walked through the cave, they found it lit by dangling lanterns, also displaying the blue light.

"How tacky can you get?" Ada scoffed. "These are obviously fake. And not even consistent with the torches. Really, this is just sad."

"You know...maybe we shouldn't voice such thoughts," Marlon said cautiously. "Just in case, there really is a pirate's curse."

"Oh please," Ada scoffed, "There is no such-"

"I know, I know there's no such thing as curses," Marlon finished.

"Then don't say dumb things like that," Ada huffed.

The group found the tunnel expanding into a wider champer, still line with the lanterns and also now revealing some wooden crates and barrels. Grace seemed curious to inspect the containers. Ada used the chance to pull Marlon aside.

"Alright, look here fearless leader, I think we're both smart enough to see how this team is going," Ada said. "Marky's been running the show and I'll admit I've had my hand in letting him get away with it, but for right now it's in both our interests to take him out of the picture for good."

'I agree," Marlon whispered, "But how exactly are we going to do that? Michelle is only going to ever vote for you. We don't have the numbers."

"We don't have the numbers yet!" Ada said, "But take a look at Gracie there. She's lost and malleable, just waiting to be shaped. I'm sure we can get inside her head. Watch and learn."

Ada walked up behind Grace and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Greetings," Grace said as she turned around. "Have you discovered something worth note?"

"Actually, I was hoping we could talk a bit about the game," Ada said. "What are your plans here, Grace? I mean long term?"

"Hm, I suppose I had not thought much on it," Grace said. "I like to work with my friends. I believe I may continue to do that."

"I see. Well let me just offer you a bit of advice, one girl to another," Ada said, "The way things are going, people are going to look at you as a floater, a pocket vote! And people like that? They get picked off when the game really gets taking off!"

"Can I stop you right there?" Grace said. "While I appreciate the advice, given the context and nature, I must come to the conclusion that your intention is to manipulate me, and I will not be manipulated. I must ask that you desist, for you would only be wasting your time. Perhaps said time could be better directed to solving this challenge."

"Perhaps you're right," Ada grumbled.

 **Confessional:**

 **Ada-** Okay, so this may be harder to crack than I thought, but I'm not giving up that easy.

 **Grace-** I do not mind how others may perceive me. Focusing on outward perceptions leads to a self-conscious which can lead to a lapse in judgment, which may lead to critical mistakes. It is not a trajectory that I wish to follow.

Zach, Terra, Emily, and Jeffrey swam through the raging waves, totally drenched and freezing cold, but still moving forward despite it. The closer they got to the wisp of a ship, the thicker the cloud of fog seemed to become. Without even realizing it, the four faded from view from each other, and all that could be seen was the billowing white mist. Zach paused briefly as he found himself isolated.

"Guys!?" he called while craning his neck. "Where'd you go!?"

He then realized that he had lost side of the ship as well. He was simply floating in the water with no idea of where he was headed.

"Great, great, just fantastic," he sighed.

The boy heard a splash, and what sounded like the faintest ping of a yelp.

"Hello?" he called again nervously.

He heard the same sound again. He then felt something cold slither along his leg. He immediately jerked away from it and frantically flailed through the water.

"Zach!?" he heard someone call faintly in the distance.

"Emily!?" he called back. "Is that you!?"

"Where are you !?" Emily called out.

"I'm...here," Zach said.

"I don't know where that is," Emily replied.

Zach tried to follow the sound of Emily's voice. He made his way through the mist blindly.

"Keep talking!" he called.

"Uh...I'm over here!" Emily said.

"I think I can see you," Zach replied as he moved towards a vague shadow.

He managed to close in on the shape that took form to reveal Emily also floundering in the water.

"This...might not have been the best idea," Zach remarked as he rejoined Emily.

"Well...I think...it was a great idea...in theory," Emily said through the cold.

"You don't have to be fake nice," Zach said.

"Okay yeah it was pretty dumb, but we're all to blame," Emily said. "Where are the others?"

"No clue," Zach said. "We should probably fi-"

Zach suddenly felt the same icy cold tendril coil around his leg. He tried to pull back again, but it tightened and in an instant he was pulled under water.

"Zach!?" Emily gasped. "What just happened!?"

However, in almost an instant later, Emily felt her only body grasped and without a chance to resist, she was pulled down into the water as well.

 **Confessional:**

 **Zach-** Yeah just jump into the wide open raging water! That's smart! Way to go, me.

 **Terra-** I would like to think that this challenge is meant to highlight the grotesque damaging effects that water pollution has on wildlife, but let's be real, there's no way that was Chris's intention!

Michelle continued to charge forward through the dank tunnels, no matter the size or awkward bends, she managed to fit her body through without breaking her momentum. Chloe followed closely behind though.

"You're not getting away that easy," Chloe said.

"You're the one who ought to think about getting away," Michelle replied coldly. "If we run into any of the undead here, you're going to wish you had."

"Yeah, same old story," Chloe remarked. "Really, is it any worse than anything else we've come up against?"

"Yes, actually," Michelle said. "Many creatures function on primal instinct. Deadly and monstrous nonetheless, they may not always seek pain as directly. If we're dealing with undead humans though, then they may still have all of their old traits. And let me remind you, pirates were known to be quite bloodthirsty. Spectre Pirates would make for a very fearsome combination."

"Well so far all clear," Chloe said with a shrug as she caught up with Michelle.

"You seem intent to ignore my advice," Michelle said. "Perhaps you'll learn from experience. I just hope you survive the experience…"

The two came up to a ledge that led down to a deeper opening. What caught their eyes though was a wrecked rotting ship floating in a small pool of water in the bottom.

"Me first!" Chloe exclaimed as she slid down the slope to reach the bottom.

Michelle quickly followed after her. Both the two could reach the boat though, they heard the sound of footsteps coming from the darkness in the other direction.

"What was that!?" Chloe gasped.

"The dead have risen," Michelle seethed.

The warrior drew her sword and lunged towards the source of the sound.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Ada exclaimed, emerging from the shadows.

Michelle stopped her blade just short of impaling her.

"Well what a surprise," Ada remarked. "Didn't I tell you that someone would get hurt if you keep swinging that around?"

"You're still standing," Michelle stated bluntly.

"Uh, ladies? Ship?" Marlon remarked as he pointed to the wreckage.

Chloe had already broken off to investigate on her own. The others soon followed after her though. Posted just in front of the boat was a marked sign.

"Here lies the Blue Thunder," Chloe read, "The feared scourge of the seas, some say its spectre still haunts the waters, leading sailors to their dooms. Legend has it that the ship sank with the cursed Sapphire of Storms, recover this gem to win immunity for your team."

Upon reading that, Chloe instantly elbowed Ada and Grace aside and ran onto the rotted deck.

"Not so fast!" Marlon exclaimed as he chased after her.

"That jewel is mine!" Chloe announced.

"Both of you stop, curses are nothing to be trifled with," Michelle ordered.

"Ignore her, Marlon," Ada said as she pulled herself back up. "Get that jewel and give us a win for a change!"

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** Well suddenly it's four against one in this race to win, and I'm the one, so if I need to pull out some dirty moves, I'll do it. I'm not letting this slip away that easy!

 **Ada-** We're actually close to a win for once, talk about a twist. I don't to get my hopes up too early, but a break could really be needed for us here.

Darren, Rory, and Bailey had pulled themselves back out of the water and clung to the stone spire.

"We need to go back for Gloria," Darren said.

"I uh...don't know," Rory stammered, "She could be anywhere!"

"That's why we've got to start looking now," Darren said.

"I think Rory might be right on this one," Bailey said, "We might just be putting ourselves at risk. Plus Rojo really doesn't like the water."

"You can stay behind then, I'm going to find her!" Darren said as he dived into the water.

Darren submerged back down to the canyons that the group had explored before. He moved quickly, turning his head with urgency as he searched for any sign of Gloria. Eventually he caught sight of one of her shoes, dangling on a jutting rock. He quickly swam towards it. As he neared it though, the same large fish emerged, revealing its row of teeth. Darren pulled back instantly. The predator came lunging towards him though. Darren desperately swung his hands around. He managed to grip a pointed rock which he launched at the creature. Just before the fish reached him, Darren's attack managed to strike right between its eyes. The creature stopped instantly and dropped lifelessly. Darren felt relief wash over him, but realized he was running out of breath. He began to swim back to the surface. As he did though he noticed the fish moving again. He tried to increase his speed. However, he didn't realize that the movement was actually coming from inside the paralyzed fish. Gloria pulled herself out of its mouth desperately and broke free, swimming after Darren. The two broke to the surface one after another, both taking in deep breaths.

"You're alive!" Darren exclaimed as he put his arms around Gloria."

"That...was the most traumatizing moment of my life," Gloria said blankly, but adding, "but it was worth it because I got this beautiful new necklace! Isn't it beautiful!?"

 **Confessional:**

 **Darren-** Thinking about Gloria in danger...really messed me up. Yeah sure I don't know exactly what we are, and she can be a bit much sometimes...but in that moment all I knew was she was depending on me to be her hero, and I couldn't let her down!

 **Gloria-** I'm just looking no one taught that thing to chew before swallowing!

Everything was just a blur as Emily was dragged down through the water at incredible speed. Suddenly though, she found herself falling through the air, rather than the water. She could scream again. She hit a harsh landing and finally dared to open her eyes, finding herself in a dark cavern.

"And that makes four of us," she heard Terra remark.

She turned to see Jeffrey, Terra, and Zach not too far away.

"Where are we!?" Emily asked.

"Like I've got any clue," Zach remarked.

Emily took a step towards the group and heard a crunch. She looked down and in horror realized that the entire cave was lined with bones.

"I...I…" she stammered.

The group were silenced as they heard a low moan that seemed to surround the whole cave.

"What was that!?" Emily gasped.

"I think i was ooooommppppphaaaaaarrrgggggh!" Jeffrey tried to mimic. "We're probably all in trouble now!"

"Well I'm not exactly interested in becoming the next set of bones to add to this pile," Zach said. "We need to get out of here."

"Great plan! How?" Jeffrey asked.

"Well uh...somehow," Zach said.

The group heard another monstrous noise along with a swishing sound of something approaching the opening.

"Alright, clearly it's time for me to step it up and fight the good fight," Terra said. "What would that crazy warrior girl do if she were here?"

"Use her sword!" Emily suggested.

"Okay, well that's not an option, so other than that?" Terra asked.

"...I got nothing," Emily sighed.

The ground and walls began to shake. The group could see the writhing shapes forming at the entrance pool of water.

"We need something fast!" Zach exclaimed.

"I'm thinking!" Terra snapped. "Uh...a trap, we need a trap. We've got bones, lots and lots of bones. I'll just…"

Terra tugged at spine wedge in the ground and tried to pull it free. Once she finally dislodged it though, the ground beneath them began to shake.

"I'm feeling like maybe you shouldn't have done that," Zach remarked.

The ground seemed to open up into a gaping hole as the structure of bones came completely dislodged ,transforming into a downward spiral. The four teenagers were swept up in it and plummeted further down the tunnel. Emily and Jeffrey clung to each other desperately through the free fall. The group ended up all crashing straight into the crow's nest of the Blue Thunder.

"Well...would you believe that was my plan?" Terra remarked.

With a crack, the already strained wood gave way and the four crashed down to the main deck.

"Hello," Grace greeted the group.

"Um...what just happened?" Emily asked.

"I guess we somehow wound up exactly where we're supposed to be," Zach answered.

Down below, in the heart of the ship, Marlon, Michelle, and Chloe were all making their way through the wreckage. Chloe threw open chests and kicked over barrels. Marlon pulled open old crusted draws. Michelle just patrolled with her sword ready to go. A glean caught Chloe's eye. She turned to see part of the ship that was submerged in water. Underneath the water she caught sight of something sparkling. Marlon made the same realization at the same time though. Both ran for it. The two ended up wrestling with each other, stuck in a deadlock.

"Michelle, grab the gem!" Marlon grunted.

"No curses!" Michelle barked. "We're leaving it be."

"Please!" Marlon begged as Chloe got a hand pressed against his face.

Chloe finally gained the upper hand and managed to kick Marlon away from her. She made a dive for the water to claim her treasure. However, as she neared her prize, it pulled away from her. Her face made a quizzical stare, before the jewel came charging right back to her...attached to one of the large, dark predatory fish.

"Um,excuse me," Ada said as she joined the group. "Looking for this!?"

Ada presented a large blue jewel.

"You found it!?" Marlon gasped.

"It was out front, attached to mermaid figurehead," Ada explained. "I figured that out pretty quickly, but didn't want to say anything since I knew Michelle would throw a fit about curses."

"Hmph," Michelle sneered as she knocked the jewel out of Ada's hands.

"Look, we're fine, see!? No curses!" Ada insisted.

"You're not just fine!" Chris suddenly exclaimed as he emerged from a barrel. "You're also immune! Congratulations Legends!"

"Have you just been waiting in there for that moment this whole time?" Marlon asked.

"No! Maybe...Ghost Pirates are scary okay!" Chris said.

"Well we haven't seen any yet," Ada said, "Maybe because they don't exist!"

"Now we can get out of here without having to find out," Marlon replied.

 **Confessional:**

 **Marlon-** Well, would you look at that, I guess it's a good reminder that sometimes a little perseverance does pay off.

 **Ada-** This victory was very well deserved, but on top of that, I also got to debunk another foolish myth. Curse of the Sapphire of Storms? Nothing but a silly ghost story!

 **Chloe-** I lost…? No...No! This can't be happening, I had it...I had it!

 **Zach-** Well, I have no idea what just happened, but after that, I'll take getting out alive as a win.

(Nobodies)

Sybil, Rory, and Bailey met together inside the cabin.

"Well that was pretty pathetic, I must say, but I also knew we were losing so I just chose to not do anything," Sybil said. "Okay, that aside, let's figure out who we're going to kill."

"Do you have to say kill?" Bailey shuddered. "No one's actually dying, and it just gives such a negative feeling. Can't we just say vote out?"

"...No, we can't," Sybil said dryly.

"Well uh...well, I guess we have to make a decision here then, er...right?" Rory stammered.

"That's generally how this works unless you just want to go random," Sybil replied.

"So uh...well we should figure out who we trust between Emily and Gloria, who I think will be voting each other," Rory said.

"Oooh, hi guys!" Emily exclaimed as she entered the room. "Is this an alliance!? Can I join!? I'd make a really good ally, and it's the craziest thing, since you three are like my three favorite people in this whole game! What a coincidence that you'd all be in the same room together! Like it's meant to be."

"Okay, you're in," Sybil declared.

"She is?" Rory asked.

"As head of this alliance, I say she's the newest member," Sybil said.

"You're the head of the alliance?" Rory asked.

"Well I didn't hear anyone else calling dibs," Sybil replied. "So I officially claim ownership of this alliance. Our alliance name will be we don't have a name because naming your alliances is pretentious and retarded, and our target will be I dunno some bitch, really it could be any of them, I don't actually care just figure it out and let me know!"

"Weeeeelll, I wasn't going to say anything," Emily said, "Except I totally was! I may have overheard that a lot of people are looking at Rory as the weakest link. And obviously I don't think that at all, I think you're the strongest link! Because your heart is the strongest of all, it's really inspiring!"

"Oh...well I'm not feeling too inspired, if people are saying that about me," Rory sighed.

"Hey, chin up," Bailey said. "This is just a chance to finally prove what you've got. Come on, do it for Princess Kokomo, prove that you're not going to let anyone just push you away!"

"Exactly what I was going to say!" Emily said. "And I'm here to help...just so long as you vote Gloria!"

"Well...guess I don't have much choice given the situation," Rory remarked.

"You always have a choice!" Bailey insisted.

"Definitely!" Emily echoed. "Except you really don't! Vote Gloria!"

Meanwhile, Chloe was pacing stressfully and muttering to herself.

"I can't believe this," she seethed. "I almost had it. So close…"

"Yes, we lost, so sad, but we're going to have to get over it," Gloria said. "We need to vote now. And maybe this isn't so bad. We can get out some bad seeds before a potential swap. Seeds like..Emily."

"What? I thought we talked about this already," Chloe said. "We are not voting Emily when Rory is still here!"

"I'm telling you, that would be a mistake," Gloria said. "Emily cannot be trusted."

"We are not losing again, Rory leaves," Chloe stated. "I am going to make sure we have the others on board. Don't make this more complicated than it needs to be."

With that, Chloe took off. Gloria glanced back to Zach and Darren behind her.

"So…" Zach remarked, "I guess-"

"Well she's clearly out of her mind," Gloria said. "You guys saw her, right? She's losing it. We can't rely on her. We'll have to take matters into our own hands. Let's get to the others first and make sure that they know that the Emily vote is still on."

"Uh...Gloria, I'm really not sure that's a good idea," Darren said, "We don't even know where the others stand, and now you want to leave Chloe out of it too? This is just asking to backfire on all of us."

"I'm going to have to agree there," Zach said, "With Rory at least we have a reason everyone can get behind. Going for Emily..that's a lot more risky, and without Chloe's support, it's just not worth it."

"I cannot believe that I'm hearing," Gloria scoffed. "Fine, I'll do it myself!"

 **Confessional:**

 **Emily-** I really needed to get an alliance going, and wouldn't you know it, one just popped right into my lap. It's perfect! Rory has already had his name thrown around, so I will be his hero, and he can be mine! Together we can get this team on the right track!

 **Rory-** So uh...I'm not even the head of the alliance I started? And everyone is still targeting me? (sighs) I guess I should have seen this coming!

 **Gloria-** I refuse to back down when you better believe that Emily is out there right now spreading dirt all over my name. This fight is on, and I'm not going to just put it on hold because that's easier for people.

 **Darren-** Going for Emily really isn't smart right now. Sure, I'd do it. I want to support Gloria, and I don't really have much going with Emily, but will other people? Chloe made it clear she wasn't interested, and we have so little time to make this pitch to the others now. I don't think it will end well.

Gloria walked up to Jeffrey who was currently squeezing out his large shoes that had absorbed a fair amount of water during the challenge.

"Hi there!" Gloria greeted.

"Well heeeeeey!" Jeffrey replied. "Let me just ask….WATER YOU THINKING ABOUT!? HAAAAAAAAIEEEEE! WATER! CAUSE-"

"Okay, yes, water so very funny!" Gloria interrupted.

"It is isn't it!?" Jeffrey continued to laugh.

"But look, we need to talk about this vote," Gloria said.

"Oh okay, sure thing!" Jeffrey exclaimed. "I think we're all going to go to the ceremony, and then each write down a name-"

"I know how the vote works!" Gloria snapped.

"Well you're the one who wanted to talk about it!" Jeffrey retorted. "HAAAAAAA! HA! HO!"

"I meant who we're voting for!" Gloria said firmly. "It's got to be Emily, she's a rat. Trust me!"

"A rat? She looks like a human to me!" Jeffrey spluttered.

"Just vote for her!" Gloria snapped.

"Okay, will do!" Jeffrey promised. "Or wiiiiillll I!? It is a mystery! Guess you'll have to wait and see, nothing like a good surprise!"

"I seriously can't right now.." Gloria seethed as she turned and walked away.

Not too far away, Chloe had walked up to Terra.

"Terra, glad I found you!" Chloe exclaimed.

"Mm," Terra grunted. "Guess that makes one of us."

"Okay, simple question, who is the weakest member of the team?" Chloe asked.

"I'm sure you already have a specific answer in mind, but I'll have to inform you that it's actually not such a simple question at all," Terra replied, "In fact, weakness can be attributed in a number of different ways. Physical strength is only one part of the equation, strength of character holds much more value, as well as strength of morals which is sadly in short supply the-"

Terra was cut off as she was battered by a pie thrown against her face. Cream and custard dripped down her head.

"HEY TERRA! SORRY ABOUT THAT! JUST THOUGHT THIS VOTE OUGHT TO BE….EASY AS PIE! HAAAAAAAA!" Jeffrey shouted from the distance.

"The answer is Jeffrey," Terra stated bluntly. "Jeffrey is the weakest person on the team...in every single meaning of the word."

"Well, actually, I was thinking-" Chloe tried to say.

"Don't care, bye," Terra cut her off as she walked away, trying to shake the mess out of her hair.

Chloe was about to follow her, but suddenly ran into Emily.

"There you are!" Emily exclaimed. "Thank goodness I found you! I need my best friend in the whole world right now!"

"Uh..that's me?" Chloe asked.

"Who else!?" Emily exclaimed. "Look, I need your help, we have to get out Gloria!"

"No," Chloe insisted. "No, we're not doing that, why is everyone missing the obvious answer here? We stil have Rory! He will only hold us back in challenges."

"Chloe, you're my best friend, and I full heartedly one hundred percent agree with what you just said," Emily replied, "But I'm afraid I just can't do that. Gloria isn't going to stop coming after me, in fact I just heard her talking to someone about getting me out! I'm scared, Chloe, I'm so scared! I can't have someone like that around! She's obsessed with me!"

Emily burst into tears and leaned her head against Chloe.

"Wait, when did you hear that?" Chloe asked.

"Um, just about two minutes ago," Emily replied.

"Ugh, I can't believe this," Chloe groaned.

 **Confessional:**

 **Terra-** Forget strategy, Jeffrey is the most annoying person ever! Everyone else will come around and realize that the second he opens his mouth.

 **Emily-** So I may have told a teensy tiny little lie about overhearing Gloria. I didn't really, but I mean, I'm like 80% sure that she said something like that, so it's not really a lie, you know? It's like a maybe lie, which is fine if it's for a good cause!

 **Chloe-** This team is turning into a mess, and it's frustrating because I know exactly who needs to leave, but it seems like others don't see that. Even Gloria, after I told her that we were sticking to the plan is going behind my back. What am I supposed to do now?

(Elimination)

The team of ten walked up to the wooden platform and each took a seat before Chris and Chef.

"Nobodies! You've had a pretty good run when it comes to immunity," Chris said, "But now it comes to an end for one of you. The most Nobodiest Nobody!"

"That's mean," Bailey said. "We all play a pivotal part in this team, and whoever lives will be sorely missed."

"But they'll still be a loser!" Chef added.

"Maybe that's one way of looking at it," Bailey sighed.

"So, how has Spooky Island been treating you?" Chris asked.

"Terribly," Sybil grunted.

"On the one hand, we haven't died yet," Zach said, "On the other...the fact that that's the good news gives you a pretty clear idea of how dire it's been."

"At least you've had the extra time for preparing your strategy!" Chris said. "I assume you've got this vote all worked out."

"I wish," Chloe sighed.

"Speak up, girl!" Chef barked. "You got something to say!?"

"It just seems like everyone has a different plan here," Chloe explained. "I don't think there's any way we're all agreeing."

"I think it would be just great if we could all agree!" Emily exclaimed. "This really is the best team ever!"

"Except for me, right?" Gloria remarked.

"Gloria, I don't know what I ever did to make you hate me, but I don't hate you," Emily replied. "We're still a part of the same family, and families don't always get along, but they'll still be there for each other!'

"I think I'm going to be sick," Sybil scoffed.

"That's a cute thought," Gloria remarked cooly. "But whoever leaves isn't going to be here for anyone. They'll be gone out the door, so you can keep your little analogy to yourself."

"Maybe I will!" Emily huffed.

"Alright, loving family," Chris said, 'Time to choose who's getting disowned. Darren, start us off!"

Darren got up from his side and walked over to vote…

(Later)

"We have the votes!" Chef declared as he marched back to the center with the urn in hands.

"If your name comes up the most...you're outta here!" Chris exclaimed. "Chef, give it to them!"

"The first vote…" Chef announced. "Is for...Rory!"

"Aw," Rory sighed.

"The second vote!" Chris announced, "Is for...Gloria!"

"Third vote…" Chef continued, "...Gloria!"

"That's not very nice," Gloria said with a frown.

"Jeffrey!" Chris announced. "Is the fourth vote!"

"A vote for Jeffrey is a vote for a better future!" Jeffrey exclaimed.

"It truly is," Terra added.

"Fifth vote…" Chef read, "Chloe!"

"What!?" Chloe suddenly shrieked. "Who the hell was that!?"

Everyone looked away from her nervously.

"Sixth vote," Chris said, "...Rory!"

"Seventh vote," Chef said, "...Rory!"

"Eighth vote," Chris continued, "...Gloria!"

"So we got three for Gloria, three for Rory, one for Jeffrey, one for Chloe," Chef said, "And two left for the same person. It's…"

…

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"Gloria!"

"Well...that is just plain...rude!" Gloria said angrily as she got up.

"Gloria, this team don't want you no more!" Chef said as he shoved her towards the central platform.

"You all are going to regret this!" Gloria glowered.

"So long!" Chris exclaimed as he pulled the lever and allowed the pit to open up. "The abyss awaits!"

Gloria plummeted into the void and disappeared from view.

"Good job, Nobodies, the rest of you survived your first vote," Chris said, "Now though...how about surviving the aftermath of whatever that hot mess just was. Take it back to camp!"

 **Votes:**

 **Emily-** Gloria, you really shouldn't have come for me. Oh and by the way, I don't think you as a sister. How's THAT for fake!?

 **Bailey-** Yeah uh...what's that Gentle Spring? Gloria? Yeah okay, let's vote for Gloria.

 **Zach-** Voting for Rory seems to be the simplest thing to do here, so let's just stick with that.

 **Darren-** We're trying to avoid a disaster here. Rory is the least offensive option, sorry dude!

 **Rory-** Uh er...um, well I think I'm in trouble, but uh...well Gloria? Maybe you could leave instead…

 **Terra-** Jeffrey. He sucks.

 **Jeffrey-** Who's it gonna beeeeee!? I'll vote for...Chloe! Just to see her reaction!

 **Sybil-** Yeah I vote for the ugly one, you know um...Gloria? That sounds right.

 **Gloria-** Well I wish I could send out Emily, but it seems like no one else wants to do that, so I'm stuck voting for Rory now.

 **Chloe-** This is so stupid, but Gloria proved that she doesn't respect me at all, and if she's going to try to create ripples and keep around people I clearly told her I don't want around, then she's no ally of mine and needs to go.

(Conclusion)

"With their first vote of the season, the Nobodies prove that they can be just as much of a disaster as the Legends!" Chris exclaimed. "Will that split hold through till the next round, or will things be totally different?"

"And can the Legends keep this up, or was that just a lucky fluke?" Chef added. "Is Marlon gonna succeed in turning his team around? Will Rory still be the weakest link?"

"Find out the answers soon when we return with another round of...Total Drama Legends vs Nobodies!" Chris finished.


	6. Good Will Haunting

"Welcome back to Total Drama Legends vs Nobodies!" A very muddy Chris McClean said as he walked up to the shack by the shore. "Spooky Island is...well, leaving up to its name. We've had frights galore, but you know what else we've had? Drama and lots of it!"

The door to the cabin slid open and Chris frantically grabbed a branch as a weapon.

"All clear, Chris," Chef said as he stepped out. "What're you doing with that?"

"Oh this? I was just uh...gathering some firewood!" Chris exclaimed.

"Right...so you weren't planning on knocking me in the head since you think I'm some skin changing shadow monster?" Chef asked.

"What? No, I'd never," Chris assured. "Now come on, we need to finish this recap."

"Nobody even likes your drawn our recaps," Chef scoffed. "This is what happened: The Nobodies finally last and they were a big damn mess when it came time to vote. Seemed like nobody could agree to anything but Gloria got the most votes so guess what? She's gone! Now what? I dunno, but you better keep watching to find out!"

'That was terrible," Chris scoffed.

"That was efficient," Chef countered.

(Legends)

Mimi stood on a hilltop, looking down at the water as the sun cracked up into the sky.

"Victory, at last," she narrated. "We fought hard, met with failure...but the failure only made us stronger. Now, we know what we're capable of. This is our comeback!"

Mimi attempted to strike a pose but was distracted when she noticed Seth wandering behind her.

"Hello," he greeted, "lovely sunrise, don't you think. A promise of a new day."

"Yes, exactly!" Mimi said, "But, if you don't mind could you just back up for a few minutes. I'm trying to do my dramatic victorious monologue."

"Ah yes, I see," Seth said with a nod. "But you might want to take it somewhere else. The trees yearn to move, and the gust of a heavy wind will be making you feel a lot less graceful soon."

"What? Don't worry, I'll just be a second," Mimi said. "Now where was I? Ah yes, we were beginning to wonder if it would be possible to hope again. But with the stakes being realer than ever, we-"

A large gust of wind suddenly blew in from the shore, sending Mimi sprawling and rolling down the hill.

"I tried to warn you," Seth sighed.

Meanwhile, back at camp, Marlon sat on a stump and seemed to be examining Michelle as she marched around the perimeter.

"What are you doing?" Michelle demanded as she caught his eyes following her.

"Just trying to see if I can learn from you," Marlon said, "You hardly ever tell us anything about what you're up against here, but I still want to do my part."

"There's nothing I could teach you in the amount of time we have," Michelle scoffed.

"I think you may be underestimating us," Marlon said. "You may not want to share all you've know, but I think I'm still picking it up. Like you stopped to circle that tree, the claw marks on it seem to indicate a feline beast. From what you've described of any cat creatures, they prefer to hunt at dusk and dawn, so we should be clear now…"

Michelle furrowed her brow.

"And that imprint over there would be most likely a footstep from an Island Yeti, which as you have clarified is not the same as a Sasquatch," Marlon continued.

'Hm, I suppose you have learned something after all," Michelle remarked. "But how would you handle these beasts if you actually met one of them face to face."

"Well uh...I don't really know, I hadn't gotten that far," Marlon replied.

"My point exactly," Michelle said.

"Not so fast," Marlon said. "Only way I'm going to learn is from you, so I'm sticking with you whether you like it or not!"

"You are all so foolish here," Michelle scoffed. "You will come to regret your stubbornness."

 **Confessional:**

 **Mimi-** This is the big victorious moment we've been working towards. First we struggled, and oh how we struggled, but we finally proved we were strong enough to overcome adversity and that calls for a speech, a pose, all the dramatic flair!

 **Marlon-** Do I believe all that Michelle's saying? Maybe a bit half and half, there's something dangerous out there, that much is for sure. I want to learn more about it though, we're not going to be much help if we aren't allowed to know anything of what she's up against.

 **Michelle-** I would love to have help, but that would be irresponsible of me. If I'm going to train someone, it would be back at safety, this island is one of the most dangerous places on the planet. I simply cannot risk having anyone else think that they're equipped to face what I do!

(Nobodies)

 **Confessional:**

 **Sybil-** Last round my alliance proved successful as we got out whos-her-face who was...I dunno, useless, so now she's gone. The rest of them are out celebrating about what a good job we did, but not me. I've got to maintain an image of grace and mystique (sways arms and ends up slamming her hand against the wall) Son of bitch, that hurts! Oh dear god, there's a splinter, get it out, get it out!

"Wow just wow…" Rory remarked as he walked with Bailey along the woods. "I can't believe that worked. When I saw my name coming up I thought that was it, I'm outta here. But then that didn't happen!"

"What did I tell you?" Bailey said. "A little belief and confidence and you can accomplish anything!"

"You're right," Rory replied. "I'm really proud of us, and really glad we got this alliance together and off the ground."

"AHA!" Terra suddenly exclaimed, emerging from a bush. "I knew there was an alliance going on without me!"

"Aaaiee!" Rory suddenly cried as he frantically hid behind Bailey. "Please...don't hurt me, I didn't mean to, I swear, it's all a big misunderstanding, let me explain!"

"I'm not going to kill you," Terra said.

"Oh...that's a relief," Rory said, still shaking.

"Why do that when I can blackmail you!?" Terra added.

"Noooo! Please!" Rory cried while dropping to his knees.

"Let's just hear her out, I'm sure there's a way we can all get what we want here," Bailey proposed.

"My thoughts exactly," Terra said. "Here's the deal, you include me in your group, and I don't go around telling everyone that all about your exclusive little club. AND we vote out the clown at the next possible opportunity."

"Okay...okay, we can do that," Rory said, carefully coming out from behind Bailey.

"Say it back to me, I want your word!" Terra said sternly.

"You have my word that the next vote we go to, Jeffrey is leaving," Rory promised.

"AHAAA!" Jeffrey exclaimed, clutching Rory from behind.

"WAAAAAAH!" Rory screamed as he leaped up onto Terra's shoulders.

"Hey guys!" Jeffrey cackled. "I just came up with a great new joke, okay what do you get when you cross a bag of cement with a grand piano...hey what's up with you guys…"

Rory had gone pale and was violently quivering while Terra tried to pry him off of her body.

"You look like you've seen a ghost!" Jeffrey laughed. "HAAAAA HA! HAHAHA! HA! GET IT!? GHOSTS! Because the island is haunted! Actually I'm still suffering from trauma from the spookiness of this island, so I don't mean to be insensitive. Ghosts are no laughing matter….in fact you could say it's DEATHLY SERIOUS! HOOOOOOOOOOO YA! Sorry...force of habit, last one I promise!"

Meanwhile, by the cabin, Chloe was carefully approaching Darren and Zach.

"Alright, gentlemen, I may have some explaining to do," Chloe said.

"You think?" Zach scoffed."A little heads up next time would be nice."

"Yeah I'm kind of confused...weren't you the one saying it had to be Rory at all costs?" Darren said. "What was the point of that?"

"I know, I know, that was very unprofessional of me last night and I wouldn't blame you at all for holding that against me," Chloe said. "It wasn't my intention to completely flip the tables on you, I just got caught off guard when I heard Gloria was going behind my back. I thought Emily might be getting blindsided and I was getting duped."

"Well...you weren't," Zach said.

"Why didn't you just talk to us?" Darren asked.

"I should have," Chloe said, "I promise I'm usually more composed than this and I'm quite embarrassed that I let this game get in my head. You two remained loyal to me in the end and I realized I was the one who was off. I want you know that you guys can depend on me, I'm still dedicated to both of you, even if I didn't exactly prove it last night.

"Well…" Zach began.

"It's fine," Darren said, "Some warning would have been nice, but I hope you realize you can talk to us if you have concerns in the future."

"Definitely," Chloe agreed.

 **Confessional:**

 **Rory-** I really wasn't sure if I was gonna have any hope in this game, but last night everything just fell into place. We got a group together and Gloria left instead of me. Of course...now Terra knows about the group, so uh...I guess it's all downhill from here.

 **Terra-** I suspected that there must have been deals going on that didn't include me, but I'm not going to expose them. People don't want to hear the truth! Just look at the world, someone tries to speak out and they get shut down and buried. BUT using fear of the truth getting out...now that gets you somewhere!

 **Chloe-** Not going to lie I was a complete mess last round and it's humiliating for me to even think about. I had a plan, but I got caught off guard when I heard Gloria was trying to go behind my back. I wasn't about to let my vote be a random stray, but then it turns out that we did actually have the votes to target Rory and I'm the one who messed it up. I NEED to repair the damage with Zach and Darren...assuming it's not already too late.

 **Darren-** Losing Gloria is definitely a punch to the gut. She was...a bit much, but I felt like we had a real connection. And now she's just gone, just like that without any warning. I don't know what got into Chloe but clearly playing the blame game with her isn't going to do us any good. I just plan to be careful with how much I rely on her now.

(Legends)

Michelle and Marlon patrolled the woods together. Michelle craned her neck from side to side; Marlon tried to mimic her action even though he wasn't sure what to look for.

"Something approaches," Michelle stated as she halted and pulled out her saber.

"Let me take this on, I can show you that I can handle it!" Marlon said.

"I don't-" Michelle tried to say, but Marlon already dove into the bushes to face what was following the two.

He ended up emerging with Marky in his arms.

"Well hello to you too," Marky remarked.

"Well uh...I got him?" Marlon said to Michelle.

"Man-handling aside, I'm glad I caught up with you two," Marky said.

"I'll be glad once you're heading back the way you came," Michelle said.

"And I will soon," Marky promised, "But first I've got some important to say. I think that we need to team up at the next vote and send Ada packing."

"Agreed, now leave," Michelle said.

"I figure you might need a bit more convincing," Marky said to Marlon, "Escort me back?"

"Well, I'm kinda on patrol with Michelle," Marlon said uncertainly.

"Who?" Marky asked as he pointed to reveal Michelle had already left the two behind.

"I should have seen that coming," Marlon sighed.

"Alright alright, well I didn't prepare a pitch for nothing," Marky said as the two headed back, "I know what Ada's doing, playing both sides here. I got to hand it to her she's done a good job keeping herself in the clear...a little too good, don't you think?"

"Um...sure...but what?" Marlon asked in confusion.

"What I'm saying is she probably has both of us thinking that we need her," Marky said, "But do we really? Not if we agree to team up and just get rid of her."

"Well, I can't argue with that math," Marlon said, "Where is she right now though? She has a habit of joining conversations right when she needs to."

"Not to worry I had a bit of a...distraction set up for her," Marky replied.

"Oh that sounds sinister," Marlon said.

"The less said the better," Marky replied.

Meanwhile, Grace was following Ada by the cabin.

"So what you are saying is that aliens are not real?" Grace asked.

"Yes, that is correct," Ada insisted.

"Not even from Mars?" Grace asked.

"Not from any planet!" Ada said firmly. "It's not plausible! Life does not exist in space!"

"Then where did the Loch Ness Monster come from?" Grace asked.

"The Loch Ness Monster does not exist!" Ada barked. "But if it did it would probably be some prehistoric dinosaur evolution that remained undiscovered...which is still highly unlikely and implausible!"

"So dinosaurs DO exist then!?" Grace said. "Seems kind of confusing."

"It's not that confusing," Ada said."We have fossils of dinosaurs we don't have fossils of silly things like unicorns and vampires!"

"Maybe they're just better at hiding their fossils," Grace suggested.

"You can't hide fossils from trained archeologists! They dedicate their lives to uncovering things like that!" Ada said.

"But what if they could?" Grace proposed.

"They can't!" Ada insisted. "End of story!"

"Okay," Grace said.

"Okay! You done?" Ada asked.

"But what about leprechauns? Those exist right?" Grace asked.

"NO!" Ada screamed.

 **Confessional:**

 **Marky-** Ada needs to go now. Technically we could just try to ditch Marlon or Michelle, we've never been that close...but I don't feel threatened by them. It's not cockiness, it's just smarts. Ada has proven to be the kind of person clever enough to play this game to her favor...and that means it's best to get her out while we have the chance.

 **Marlon-** Ada has always been a bit of a wildcard, not someone I trust fully but not someone I've ever been against. I know she wants Michelle out though and vice versa. It's sounding more and more like Ada isn't going to have much room to run.

 **Grace-** Marky asked me to keep Ada busy. Ada likes to tell people they are wrong, so I simply offered her a series of ignorant questions. She did the rest.

 **Ada-** I can't believe the level of ignorance of some of this team. Clearly I'm more needed here than ever! Pay attention in school kids, and trust the facts!

(Nobodies)

After Chloe had left Darren and Zach, the two boys continued to walk and talk together.

"Well, what do you think? Do we believe everything she's saying?" Zach asked.

"I'm not sure what to believe right now," Darren remarked.

"I can tell you this much, whatever her intentions were, I'm not feeling like we can rely on Chloe anymore," Zach said. "Sure she says she's loyal to us now, but we'd be suckers to just buy that without a second thought."

"Agreed," Darren replied. "But what are we supposed to do? If we just call her out then we're upstream without a paddle. Clearly there are other deals going on without us."

"True, but no time like the present to get a move on to something new," Zach said, "There have to be other allies we can pull in. Probably not Emily given her feud with Gloria. And I doubt Rory and Bailey are going to split up."

"So that leaves the clown, the gypsy, and the terrorist," Darren concluded.

"Wow, if that's not a game of pick your poison, I don't know what is," Zach remarked.

Back inside the cabin, Rory and Bailey were just entering to quickly be greeted by Emily.

"You guys, oh my gosh, we DID IT!" Emily squealed.

"We certainly did," Bailey said.

"This is like...the best ever, like not just the regular ever, but the best!" Emily exclaimed while hopping between her two feet. "I feel like we genuinely have a connection now. This isn't just any old alliance, we are the group of friends who can turn the tables and there's nothing we can't do now!"

"Truer words have never been spoken," Bailey agreed.

"Uh yeah," Rory said awkwardly, "but there's one thing I wanted to mention to you. See, I was just talking to Terra and-"

"That is SO super, I'm so proud of you," Emily gushed. "Keep up the good work, okay? I'll chat it up with you guys later!"

Emily scurried past the two boys and out the door. Bailey just shrugged to his friend. Emily spotted Chloe walking by and rushed over to grip her by the hand.

"Hiii, best friend ever!" Emily exclaimed.

"Oh...uh, hello," Chloe greeted.

"I am SO glad to see you," Emily said. "You know, Chloe, you really came through me last night, getting rid of that evil mean witchy woman who was out to get me. But I'm not surprised at all since that's just the kind of things best friends do, they have each other's backs! I would say thank you, but that would imply I expected anything less from you. So Chloe, I'm not going to say it, but I WILL say thank you for being the best friend a girl could ask for!"

"Uh….don't mention it?" Chloe said very slowly. "But you know...you weren't even in any danger, you didn't get one vote."

"Oh yeah don't worry about it," Emily said dismissively. "That's all in the past now, and I'm ready to leave that dark chapter behind us. Now, it's a bright new future, cause nothing is stopping two best friends with the world ahead of them...this is Emily and Chloe taking on Spooky Island!"

"Well...how could I turn that down?" Chloe replied.

"YOU CAN'T!" Emily said with an incredibly broad grin.

 **Confessional:**

 **Zach-** I'm over Chloe, honestly. She can say whatever the hell she wants, oh it was an accident, I didn't mean to? Yeah I don't really give a damn. I'm feeling like I had the rug pulled out from under me, and I don't like it, so now I'm going to turn this thing around before it's too late!

 **Darren-** Getting together a new alliance could be smart, but I can't help but feel like we missed the boat on that one. I was putting a lot of faith into Gloria and our group, and now that's fallen to pieces. My things are relying on...well not the most stable members of the team. Not sure how I feel about that.

 **Emily-** Last night could have gone really bad, but instead it went really good! (grins) A lot of people came through for me, but I need to make sure they keep doing the same. I NEED TO! Rory and Bailey need to know how much I value their friendship so they don't just see me as a number, but Chloe, well she's probably feeling a bit unsure, so I need to leave her without a shadow of a doubt that I'll be her number one. Girls gotta stick together!

 **Chloe-** I'm really tempted to interrogate Emily here. I flipped my vote because of what she told me, but then she didn't even get a single vote. Was she manipulating me, or was it an honest mistake? The problem is, I've already put a strain on Zach and Darren, if I put pressure on her too, I'm going to be running out of options. So I need to watch my emotions now.

(Later)

The two teams found themselves walking up to an ancient towering manor. The building was coated in dust, cracks, and a few remaining chips of faded paint. Standing in front of the building were Chris McClean and Chef Hatchet.

"Legends, Nobodies, welcome to your next challenge!" the host exclaimed. "Before you is the House of a Hundred Horrors!"

"Uh Chris?" Chef said before whispering in his ear.

"Before you is the House of Twenty-Three Horrors!" Chris corrected. "Your goal today is straightforward but that doesn't mean it will be easy. All you have to do is get through this haunted house and exit the other side. Be warned though, there are plenty of traps and other nasty surprises waiting for you!"

"If you're telling us about it now, doesn't that ruin the surprise?" Zach pointed out.

"Just go with it, kid," Chef barked.

"Step right out, the Horrors await!" Chris said as the doors creaked open.

The two teams cautiously shuffled inside and entered a narrow hallway.

"Well this is awkward," Bailey remarked as the groups bumped shoulders with each other.

"Make way!" Chloe said as she barged to the lead.

"You guys go ahead, it's fine," Rory said as he pulled back in fear.

"Aw, there's nothing to be afraid of!" Emily assured.

"What about all the horrors Chris talked about?" Mimi pointed out.

"Not just that, I can think of plenty of things to be afraid of on a daily basis!" Jeffrey announced. "Poisonous spider bites, escaped mental patients, rabid dogs, really the entire work of Stephen King…..oooooooohg hAAAA! GOT EM! HAHAHAHAH!"

"Guys, guys, do you mind? I'm trying to instill a false sense of security for our cowardly friend here," Emily said.

"Well...thanks for trying," Rory sighed.

Suddenly, with an abrupt click, the panel of the floor opened up beneath their feet. Rory, Jeffrey, Mimi, Seth, and Emily tumbled down a chute and into darkness.

"What was that!?" Marlon suddenly gasped.

"It's a trap!" Michelle exclaimed.

"No, it's just a passage that unexpectedly opened up," Ada scoffed.

"Is that not literally what trap is?" Michelle asked.

"Well I didn't like the tone you used. Made it sound much more mysterious and sinister than it really was," Ada remarked.

"Chris did warn us," Chloe said as she opened another set of doors.

Bailey, Grace, Marky, Marlon, and Ada followed after her. Before anyone else could follow though, the door slammed shut.

"Uh...well that's not good," Zach remarked.

With a slow creak the walls started to turn. The group was thrown off balance as the entire section spun around, eventually revealing a set of stairs.

"I guess we go up then," Darren said.

 **Confessional:**

 **Emily-** Last time was the first night we'd ever lost, and I don't really want to repeat that so soon. I'm going to try to channel my best positive thinking and put us back on the right track.

 **Chloe-** One loss was bad enough, but given the way things went, I can bet another right after would be disastrous. I need more time to patch things up.

 **Bailey-** Ooh Rojo doesn't like this place. Look he hasn't even left his doghouse all morning! Or maybe he's just admiring the new limited edition bone shaped mirror that I won after my fiftieth consecutive candy crush high score.

 **Seth-** Hm...this house feels...burdened...with the purpose of being nothing more than a prop in a show. You can't fool me, Chris.

(Basement)

The five who had been trapped by the opening floor panel slid down a series of twisting tubes. Each of them ended up deposited in three dungeon cells all side by side in a dank basement. Seth and Emily landed in a cell together, Mimi alone in one in the middle, while Jeffrey and Rory landed in the last one.

"Okay...that was scary," Rory exclaimed. "I think I have reason to be scared now!"

"Now, now, we're all going to be alright," Emily assured.

"You don't know that!" Rory retorted.

"True, we could be ALL LEFT! HAAAAEEEEEE!" Jeffrey laughed while slapping Rory on the back, knocking him against the left side of the wall.

"Not to worry, everyone, I'm always having to escape tough predicaments in my films," Mimi exclaimed. "It's taught me some valuable life lessons...such as always keep a hairpin ready!"

Mimi reached into her pocket and revealed a thin black pin.

"I'll have this lock cracked in no time!" she announced as she tried to stick the pin into the lock.

"You can do it!" Emily cheered.

"I just uh...I'll get it," Mimi said as she struggled to make any progress. "This is clearly a very rusted lock. It's not making it easy."

Mimi continued to fidget with the pin aimlessly, until it ended up slipping out of her grip and falling to the ground. It bounced along the floor and out of her reach.

"Ooh, that's not very good," Mimi sighed. "New life lesson...always have a backup hairpin."

"I prefer to use the power of kindness!" Emily exclaimed, before turning to Seth. "Excuse me, kind sir, do you think you could open this door for me?"

"Hm…" Seth said as he walked up to the metal bars keeping them trapped. "This metal feels very tired...ready to be put to rest...but where…"

Seth closed his eyes and traced a single finger back and forth along the rusty bars.

"Right here…" he said before gripping a bar with two hands.

He tugged against the metal. With a low groan, the bar began to bend. After one firm tug, the bar broke out of its placement. The rest of the door fell forward without it.

"Yaaay, you did it!" Emily cheered.

"Well that's a neat trick, but I've got one of my own," Jeffrey said as he reached into his hair and pulled out an uninflated balloon. "You see, this is one of my gag balloons, won't pop for nothing, they say. Great for catching people off guard. Now we just need some air.."

Jeffrey reached into his overalls and pulled out a hand pump which he attached to the balloon.

"Would you do the honors?" Jeffrey offered to Rory.

"Alright, well I can give it a shot," Rory said as he put both hands on the pump and pressed down.

He was immediately jolted by a shock from the handle and bounced back to the ground.

"WHOOPS! LOOKS LIKE I HAD IT SET TO STUN!" Jeffrey screamed as he turned a dial at the base of the pump. "WHY WOULD A PUMP EVEN NEED A STUN OPTION!? HAHAHAAH SO RANDOM RIGHT!? MAKES NO SENSE!? HEEEEEE HIHIHIHIH EYEHEYEHEYH HYUCK HYUCK HYUCK!"

Jeffrey grabbed the handle and started to pump vigorously. The balloon expanded quickly, as it began to press against the metal bars, they bent to the sides, eventually leaving an opening for the clown to crawl through.

"You coming!?" Jeffrey asked the unconscious Rory. "OH RIGHT YOU'RE STUNNED! HAAAAAA HAW HAW HAW!

"He can catch up, let's get out of here!" Emily said.

"Yes, and I will be right behind you, just as soon as I can get this pin back," Mimi said while trying to reach out and grab the pin.

Seth silently pushed it towards her.

"Thank you, dear," Mimi said as she grabbed the pin and went back to blindly jabbing and jiggling it against the lock. "This time, I know I'll-"

Mimi's confident was cut short with a snap as the pin broke off.

"That...never happens," Mimi sighed.

 **Confessional:**

 **Emily-** Seth may be on a different team than me, and sure I could try to sabotage him, but instead I'll be nice to him, and then if we end up together in the game he might remember this and then want to work with me! Yay, I love it!

 **Mimi-** You know when I get back into the films I am going to have some words for these writers. I think I have more than a few notes on how things could be a bit more realistic.

 **Jeffrey-** Oooh yeah I can admit, that some of my jokes aren't the best, but you don't get put in jail for bad jokes….you get thrown in a PUNGEON! HAAAAA! IT'S LIKE A DUNGEON! BUT FOR HORRIBLE PUNS!

(Ballroom)

Chloe, Marlon, Bailey, Ada, Marky, and Grace had stepped into a wide open room. Black and white checkered tiles lined the floor, while candles illuminated the room all along the walls. At the other end of the large room was a broad flight of stairs. The group cautiously stepped forward when a torch lit up with a blue flame, revealing a note written beneath it.

"Dance Or Die," Marlon read.

"Well, that's ominous," Bailey said uncertainly.

"What does it mean?" Marky remarked.

"It means nothing!" Ada stated. "It is one of the many meaningless fear tactics used to get our paranoia rolling. Well I'm not biting!"

"Okay, if you say so," Bailey said, "Guess we'll see."

Bailey took a step forward and was suddenly hit by a large metal ball, swinging from a chain on the ceiling.

"Ow," he wheezed as he hit the wall.

"Well, it's a ballroom right?" Marlon remarked. "Maybe we're supposed to, you know, ballroom dance across it?"

"That makes absolutely no sense, what difference would that make!?" Ada scoffed.

"I guess it's worth a shot," Chloe said.

"In that case, may I have this dance?" Marlon said as he offered his hand.

Chloe took his hand and the two swept along the tiles. The same metal ball came swinging for them, but they were able to bend either direction and let it pass unobstructed. The two kept moving. A row of spikes shot up, just between their feet. Marlon gave a gasp as he stumbled backwards, but he managed to turn it into a glide, just in time to dodge an oncoming bladed pendulum. Chloe twirled back into his arms, and allowed Marlon to dip her backwards, pulling her out of the way of a spear launched from the wall. The two swept towards the stairs, both making a final dip to avoid being charred by a blaze of fire.

"Tada!" Chloe exclaimed as they reached the flight of stairs.

As the two walked up the steps though, suddenly they were whisked upwards. One of the steps was hoisted up while the two were forced to maintain their balance. Looking up they could see two ropes, one attached to each end of the step. A dangling torch let up to reveal another panel.

"Only of you is getting out alive," Chloe read, "Cut your partner loose before they cut you."

"Cut with what?" Marlon asked, but at that instant a knife dropped down into the middle of the platform. "Oh..well okay then. Let's not do anything too hasty, I'm sure we can-"

"Sorry, time for this tango to end!" Chloe said as she lunged towards the knife and severed Marlon's rope.

The platform tilted sideways, dropping Marlon down into a pit, while launching Chloe upwards and allowing her to leap down to the other end of the staircase.

"Well that doesn't look too hard, now we know what to expect," Ada remarked as she stepped foward.

Ada ducked and avoided tbe swinging ball, when suddenly one of the panels rose up from the floor, revealing a giant electric fan that blew her with a powerful gust of air, sending the girl flying against the back wall.

"Ow," she grunted.

 **Confessional:**

 **Ada-** You know, I hate to sound like I'm stuck in my ways. If you can offer me proof that I'm wrong then I'll gladly accept it. But that proof doesn't exist and would have to be fabricated, since I'm never wrong!

 **Chloe-** Don't get me wrong, I appreciate Marlon working with me here, but this is still a race. It doesn't mean anything if my team still loses the challenge.

 **Grace-** Ah yes, dancing, a lovely cultural interaction that I know very much about. I'm not very good at it, but in a sense this is proper, since it is my understanding that being awkward and uncoordinated is considered "quirky and endearing" and therefore it is still quite possible to accomplish the intended goal, which is to build a more intimate bond with someone, is it not?

(Bedroom)

Zach, Darren, Michelle, Sybil, and Terra followed the stairs and found themselves in a fancy bedroom. Some purple curtains were draped over glass doors that led to a balcony. Against one wall was a large queen sized bed, while against the other was a bookshelf lined with dusty books.

"Well, this place is nice," Zach remarked.

"Nice isn't what we're looking for though, we're trying to find a way out of here," Terra said.

"Well we know we can't go back," Darren said, "So there must be some way out of here."

The group fanned out through the room. Sybil and Darren checked under the bed, Michelle and Terra tried to move the bookshelf, while Zach just got to his knees and ran his hands over the floor. The group heard the sound of something tapping on the glass. Zach looked up to see a figure covered in white sheets, with a twisted ghoulish face up against the glass door. In an instant it was gone.

"What was that!?" Zach exclaimed.

"Foul demon!" Michelle shouted as she charged for the balcony.

"Hey, be careful!" Terra called.

"This is no time for caution, this is my shot for a real undeniable genuine ghost photo," Zach said as he ran after Michelle.

The two looked out on the balcony out at the woods. They didn't see anything out of the ordinary.

"Where did it go!?" Zach demanded.

"These fiends may hide, but they can't escape me for long," Michelle grunted.

The girl leapt over the edge and slid along the wall, landing on a stone ledge next to a grotesque gargoyle. As she passed the monstrous monument, though, it sprung to movement, snapping its arms around her and pulling the girl back into the wall.

"This is perfection!" Zach said as he pulled out his camera and leaned over the edge.

Back in the room, Darren had noticed and opening in the wall behind the bed. The boy pushed the edge and slid the bed over to reveal a passage in the wall. Sybil saw this, but she was grabbed by Terra.

"We need your mystical juju to keep us safe from spirits!" Terra said. "They already got Michelle!"

"Uuh..right, that," Sybil said. "I think we should all see what-"

Sybil was interrupted as a sheeted hand reached out from underneath the balcony and grabbed Zach by the leg, pulling him down.

"Now it's got Zach too!' Terra exclaimed. "Do something!"

"Uh, hocus pocus, nope, spirits are too powerful, can't face'em like this!" Sybil said

"Guys, help!" Zach suddenly shouted, clutching Sybil by the ankle.

"Gah, let go of me, you disgusting like parasite!" Sybil screamed as she stamped on his foot.

"That doesn't seem very helpful," Terra said.

"Oh uh, he was beyond saving...cursed by the demons. Trust me it was all over his aurora," Sybil said.

"You mean aura?" Terra asked.

"Yeah that thing," Sybil said. "Now let's get out of here before we're next."

Sybil turned back to the room, but suddenly Terra was grabbed by her hair. The girl panicked and clutched Sybil by the shoulders. Both girls were yanked over the edge shrieking in shock.

 **Confessional:**

 **Sybil-** God damn, keeping up this shtick is seriously wearing me thin. Why can't these brainless bitches just accept my air of mystique and leave it at that!?

 **Michelle-** Well played, ghouls, but you made one critical mistake...I'm still alive!

 **Darren-** The rest of my team...got kinda busy I guess? I could help them out, but that seems like it's just asking for trouble. I'd rather make sure at least one of us gets out of this place.

(Ballroom)

"So uh...Miss Ada, fancy giving this a go?" Bailey asked Ada after helping her get up from the ground.

"I do NOT fancy it!" Ada huffed.

"Aw, don't worry, I've had to attend many balls held by Princess Kokomo, I think I can stay swift on my feet," Bailey assured.

"That's totally imaginary!" Ada scoffed.

"No...it's not," Bailey said sadly. "It's real...in my heart."

"Which is another way of saying it's not real!" Ada said.

"Okay, maybe I'm taking back my offer then," Bailey said.

"While you two figure that out, I've got my lady right here," Marky said as he turned to Grace.

"I am mostly positive that even though you have not spoken my name, your non-verbal communication is leading the message that the lady is in fact myself," Grace said. "However, seeing as I do not trust my read on social conventions entirely at the moment, I must ask you to clarify, to avoid any potential embarrassment stemming from a misunderstanding."

"Yes, I mean you!" Marky answered.

"Thank you, then!" Grace said as she took his hand.

Grace and Marky swayed along the floor. Marky dipped in anticipation of the swinging ball, but instead a bladed disc shot from the wall. The two stumbled and rolled along the floor awkwardly.

"Oof," Marky groaned as Grace rolled on top of him.

"Do you find me quirky yet endearing?" Grace asked.

"Yes, but we can discuss it later," Marky said as he pulled her out of the way of a spike that dropped from the ceiling.

The two got up and continued their steady cautious dance. Marky twirled Grace outwards and she pulled him back into her arms. The panel where Marky had just been standing sprung up and would have launched him back if he'd still been standing there. Gaining in confidence, the two flounced there way towards the stairs. Just before arriving though, they took a step back to avoid being crushed by two oncoming large bricks from either end. Once it was safe, the two reached the stairs, and just like the pair before were hoisted up on a platform by two ropes, with a knife dropped between them.

"Well, Grace, this isn't a pretty picture," Marky said, "but with a heavy heart I must-hey!"

Grace had already picked up the knife and was reaching for the rope.

"Couldn't you at least pretend like it's tough call for you?" Marky asked.

"Oh...I suppose I could, even though it's not really," Grace replied. "Marky, I hope you forgive me but-"

"Aha!" Marky exclaimed as he slapped one hand in Grace's face and used the other to pry the knife out of her hand. "All is fair in love and war!"

Marky pushed Grace backwards and slit the rope, sending her dropping downwards and launching himself to join Chloe.

"What a cute couple those two make," Bailey remarked, wiping an imaginary tear from his face.

"They're on the same team!" Ada exclaimed. "Idiots."

 **Confessional:**

 **Grace-** I am getting mixed messages from Marky. I shall need to take note of that and study them further.

 **Marky-** Sure it's easy to get soft when you're dealing with a sweet face. I'm still bad though and I'm still out here for me!

 **Ada-** As if hearing about ghosts and monsters wasn't bad enough, now I have to hear about imaginary friends!? Just shoot me.

(Dungeon)

"Guuuh, my uh...something hurts," Rory groaned as he got up and shook himself off. "That clown is super mean!"

"Rory, hi, over here!" Mimi called.

"Are you going to shock me!? Cause if you are, please reconsider. I think I'm developing a heart condition," Rory stammered.

"No, nothing of the sort, I'm just thinking we should work together here," Mimi said. "We may be on different teams, but let me tell you putting differences aside is almost always a recipe for success!"

"Hm...well I guess I can't argue with that," Rory said.

"Good, good," Mimi said. "So, I just need you to make your way on over here and help me out of this cell."

"Okay, I can do that," Rory said as he tentatively took a step forward.

The boy immediately recoiled into the corner of his own room as he heard something moving in the shadows.

"Gaah, never mind, I can't do it!" Rory stammered. "There's something out there! It's gonna get me!"

"It can still get you in there though," Mimi pointed out.

"Shh, don't give it any ideas!" Rory said as he clung to the wall. "Maybe it won't notice me."

The scurrying sound continued to echo along the stone passage. Eventually something came into view for Mimi to see.

"It's just an adorable little mouse, you have nothing to fear," Mimi assured.

"Nothing to fear? Ever heard of hantavirus!? No thank you!" Rory exclaimed as he continued to huddle up in the corner.

"Well, looks like we're not getting out of here any time soon," Mimi sighed.

 **Confessional:**

 **Rory-** I want to be brave and formidable. I can just picture myself walking up to that mouse and saying…'Mouse, please don't bite me, please.' But actually trying to do it, oooh gah ack, no nope I'm not ready yet! It's too much for me!

 **Mimi-** I support Rory and his growth arc. But if he could get a move on it and speed the process up a bit, yeah that would be superb.

(Ballroom)

"Looks like it's just you and me," Bailey remarked to Ada.

"Mmmmm, FINE! We can dance, even though I don't think it proves anything at all," Ada scowled.

"After you apologize to Princess Kokomo!" Bailey said as he held out the pillow.

"...No. I refuse to sacrifice my standards like that," Ada said sternly.

"Come on, it won't hurt," Bailey encouraged.

"It'll hurt my pride!" Ada said, glaring Bailey directly in the face.

"Look at this sweet face, how can you say she's not real?" Bailey said as he waved the pillow back and forth.

"Because...she's made of fabric," Ada pointed out.

"Well, so's Gentle Spring, and she's real!" Bailey exclaimed.

"I….I don't think I even have anything to say to that," Ada said slowly.

"Because you see I'm right?" Bailey said with a grin.

"Because I have clearly stepped so deep into an all consuming vortex of WRONG that I fear if I stay any longer, logic itself might collapse in on itself!" Ada snapped.

"You seem stressed," Bailey noted.

"Brilliant observation," Ada remarked.

"Okay, I know you don't want to talk to me," Bailey said, "but you might feel better if you talk to...Gentle Spring!"

Ada gave Bailey a deathly glare.

"You don't have to, but she's a very good listener!" Bailey said. "It's up to you."

Bailey set his pony toy next to Ada who had slouched against the wall.

"Hello...you plush," Ada said disdainfully to the pony. "I know you couldn't possibly offer me any advice at all, but if you must know, I tend to be a very argumentative person, and I know I'm right because I have logic on my side. But when people try to take logic out of the question, that just gets under my skin!"

The toy remained silent.

"Like this whole island, I assure you, there's not one thing here that can't be explained with science," Ada said, "But everyone is so quick to scream monster this, ghost that, and it makes it impossible to actually look for the logical answer that I know is out there. You see why this might be frustrating?"

The pony again said nothing.

"She uh...definitely understands," Bailey whispered.

"Well!? What would the imaginary horse do!?" Ada asked.

"Hm...Gentle Spring says not to worry so much about others," Bailey said, "People are gonna believe different things, and you're not going to be able to change that. Maybe instead just let people stick to what they want to believe-"

"Yeah, that's not going to happen, but between this heartfelt moment, can we pretend I threw an apology in there and get on with this?" Ada said, standing up again.

"Good enough for me!" Bailey said as he took Ada's hand.

The two dipped, dived, and twirled across darts, flaming axes, and a giant boulder that was seemingly suspended by a chandelier in the middle of the room. They reached the stairs successfully and shared a bow, before ascending to the same dilemma was faced by the others.

"Well, uh, this might not exactly fall into the category of a 'logical' decision," Bailey said, "But I'm gonna trust my heart on this one and say that you might need a win on your side today. So you can go ahead and cut me loose here."

Ada walked forward and picked up the knife sternly. Then threw it to the ground.

"No," she said. "Listen here you delusional sack of dreams, I may have gone along with that dancing nonsense, but I still don't believe in curses or magic. Are we really going to send one of us out of the running because of something somebody wrote on the walls? Please, we have more sense than that!"

"Oh...well, uh, okay then," Bailey said. "What do you propose?"

"This," Ada said as she gripped the rope and pulled herself up. "You coming?"

"Oooh, uh, right away!" Bailey said as he climbed up after her.

 **Confessional:**

 **Bailey-** You know, I don't like people telling me my friends aren't real. You just have to open your heart and believe! I'm sure Ada will feel much happier once she does this!

 **Ada-** Well I definitely feel like I sacrificed some of my dignity today, but I also got to prove that everyone else was an idiot for just following along with that 'curse' because some spooky words said so. Overall? Net win!

(Outside)

Chris stood next to the sheeted figure, who was revealed to be Chef once he pulled off the mask and sheets.

"Heh, these kids are makin' this too easy," Chef cackled.

"Well, looks like some of them are making their way out now," Chris said.

Chloe charged out the back door and was soon followed by Marky. A cellar door was kicked open, allowing Jeffrey, Emily, and Seth to emerge. A part of the wall slid open as Darren push it aside and made his way out of a secret passage. Bailey and Ada, both red in the face and out of breath, both arrived out the same door as Chloe and Marky.

"Aha, that proves once and for all that the whole dancing thing was just a bunch of elaborate traps and nothing magic at all," Ada said between deep breaths. "Never doubt my intellect again!"

"Congratulations!" Chris exclaimed. "Chloe, Emily, Jeffrey, Bailey, Darren, Ada, Marky, Seth you are our winners!"

"Wait...we can't all be winners," Chloe said, "We're not even all on the same team."

"Wrong!" Chris announced ."As of this moment, Legends and Nobodies...are over. This challenge was never for immunity, it was to determine your new teams. And the seven of you have won...the snazzy title of the Ghastly Ghosts! Congratulations!"

"Oh...well that's...okay," Chloe said.

"Hi new team!" Emily exclaimed. "Oh my gosh, we are all going to be best friends! This is the best team ever!"

"I'll take it," Ada said.

"And now Chef, bring out the losers," Chris ordered.

Chef walked behind the other side of the house and came back wheeling out seven cages, containing Mimi, Marlon, Rory, Grace, Sybil, Zach, Michelle, and Terra.

"You eight couldn't escape the House of Twenty Three Horrors, so you will be known as the far less glamorous name of...the Devilish Demons!" Chris said.

"I like it!" Mimi exclaimed.

"Well you shouldn't, it's an ugly name for an ugly team!" Chris snapped.

"Can you let us out of these cages now please?" Marlon asked.

"No!" Chris said.

"Uh Chris," Chef said. "How are they supposed to play the game if they're locked up?"

"Ugh, don't ruin this for me," Chris whined. "Fine, fine, but I hope you guys can pick it up and learn to not be such losers in the future!"

"Wouldn't dream of it," Zach said.

"Yeah, speaking of dreams, uh, I had a dream and it said all of this was happening so good job us," Sybil announced.

"Then why didn't you tell us?" Zach asked.

"Because then it wouldn't have come true, duh," Sybil retorted. "But I'll tell you what is coming true, we're going to be a really good team."

"Was that in a dream too?" Zach asked.

"No you retard, if it was, I wouldn't have told you now," Sybil scoffed. "I can just tell from the uh...stars."

The group looked up at the clear blue sky.

"The stars last night, you toads!" Sybil snapped.

"Well, I agree with Sybil here," Marlon said. "We're going to be the best team!"

"Whoa whoa, I said we're going to be really good, I never said best. Let's not go around making promises we can't keep," Sybil said.

"Oh well...in that case I say we make it our mission to be our best!" Marlon exclaimed.

"Yeah me too, but we don't always get what we want," Sybil remarked, "I bet you wanted to be the best for the last four rounds too. How'd that work out?"

"You guys are off to a great start!" Chris said. "Ghastly Ghosts, you guys can head to the Nobodies Camp, Devilish Demons, that leaves the Legends cabin for you!"

 **Confessional:**

 **Marlon-** I think this is exactly what I needed. It's time to shake things up and hopefully cut out a fresh start. I'd be lying if I said I was totally confident, but compared to the other team, I'd much rather be here at a 4-4 split than an automatic minority.

 **Zach-** I'm about ready to flip at the way this worked out. I really needed to branch, and now I have the perfect chance to do that...away from Chloe!

 **Grace-** Hm...a change. It would seem as though I am without some of my friends. This is concerning, but I shall keep that hidden and put myself forward with as much confidence as I can muster.

 **Ada-** I'm finally free of Michelle? Best day ever!

 **Emily-** This is so totally perfect! New friends for me to win over, I'll be the most popular girl on the island in no time!

 **Darren-** Huh, you don't say. It sucks that I'm away from Zach, he was the one guy left I trusted the most. But I think I can make the best out of this, time to pick myself up and get something going for myself again.

(Conclusion)

"The game just got turned in an all new direction!" Chris exclaimed. "Legends vs Nobodies is over and now it's anybody's game! Who will win out first? The Ghosts or the Demons!? Will people stick to original lines, or is this just going to be all out chaos? Old feuds are still running deep, but there's plenty new ones to take root. So you're going to want to tune in when we return with more...Total Drama Legends vs Nobodies! Catch you next time!"


	7. Pick Up the Pieces

"Welcome to Total Drama Legends vs Nobodies!" Chris McClean exclaimed.

The host was currently standing in the dark of the woods, holding only a lantern for lighting.

"Here on Spooky Island things are getting not just spookier but more dramatic by the day!" Chris announced. "Last round we had a little switch up as the game stopped being about Legends vs Nobodies and we mixed everyone up. Now we have the Ghastly Ghosts, a team comprised of winning personalities like Chloe, Marky, and everyone's favorite clown, Jeffrey!"

"He's the only clown on the island, Chris," Chef pointed out as the larger man came up from behind the host.

"Not true, you're here!" Chris replied.

Chef narrowed his eyes at Chris threateningly.

"Anyways!" Chris continued. "The other team was a bunch of losers like that wannabe, Zach, the phony faker, Sybil, and scrawny little Rory. That would be the Demonic Devils, or uh Devilish Demons. One of those two. Chef help me out here?"

Chris turned around to see Chef had vanished.

"Well...that's unsettling," he remarked. "But no need for you to worry since I can guarantee a hot fun episode of drama as the new teams adapt to each other right now on Total Drama-"

Chris was cut off as a gust of wind blew out his lantern, leaving him totally in the dark.

"Uh...Legends vs Nobodies...hello? Chef? Little help…" Chris said nervously.

(Devilish Demons)

 **Confessional:**

 **Marlon-** Last night we switched things up. We're still at our old campsite, but got some new members now. We were all feeling a bit tired and no one talked much when we got back, but I'm trying to make the new guys feel welcome. For all we know they could end up being some of the new friends I need on my side.

Terra had gotten out of her bed and was stretching out as she walked through the cabin.

"So this is your place, then?" she remarked.

"How does it stack up to the Nobody Camp?" Marlon asked.

"Pretty much the same," Terra remarked with a shrug.

"Well!" Michelle exclaimed as she pushed her way between the two. "Now that you're here, you should get used to doing things our way. For our own safety, do not go out after dark, do not go anywhere alone, in fact it would be ideal if you could just not leave the cabin at all. And even then, make sure you keep the windows shut and the doors locked."

"These doors don't have locks," Marlon said as he pointed to the flimsy wooden door, barely holding on to its hinges.

"Well then barricade them!" Michelle ordered.

"Excuse me, I don't know who you think you are, but you can't just bark out orders and expect me to follow them blindly," Terra said to Michelle.

"Actually I can, that's exactly what I'm expecting from you," Michelle said. "Fall in line or risk your life!"

"Are you threatening me!?" Terra asked sternly. "I demand an explanation before I sign on to anything."

"No," Michelle replied. "Just trust me and get used to it."

"Sometimes it's best to just let her do her thing," Marlon whispered to Terra. "It's not hurting anyone."

"Wrong! It's hurting our freedom!" Terra challenged. "Blindly 'just going with it' is exactly how extremist movements start. Oh it's not hurting anyone? And next thing you know you've got a genocide on your hand because 'it's easier to just go with it.' I will not be silenced!"

"You will fall in line!" Michelle barked as she glared at Terra.

The two girls clenched their teeth while facing off against each other, neither blinking.

"Uh...genocide?" Marlon said nervously.

Outside the cabin, Mimi had already gotten up and exited to get some fresh air for herself. As she wandered about the site though, she felt a prickly sensation of being watched. She nervously glanced over her shoulder but didn't see anyone. The young actress bit her lip and instinctively moved away from the open area. She filed through the trees, hoping to lose the sensation. Her ears picked up on a light yet distinct echo to her footsteps though. Someone was following her. She didn't pause to look back this time, instead she increased her pace. The girl tried to weave between the trees to lose her pursuer.

"Aha!" Zach suddenly exclaimed as he leapt out from behind her. "Gotcha!"

The photographer quickly snapped a photo as Mimi tried to cover her face in shock.

"What are you doing!?" she gasped.

"Mimi Evertide, lost and alone in the woods. People are gonna kill to get their hands on these photos," Zach exclaimed.

"Photos? Is that what this is all about?" Mimi scoffed. "You frightened me!"

"Nothing beats a live in the moment shot!" Zach replied.

"Well next time, could you just ask?" Mimi requested.

"Sure, how about right now? Photo shoot with the legendary Mimi Evertide?" Zach asked.

"Absolutely not," Mimi shot down.

"Well that was effective," Zach remarked. "Now you see why I go for the sneak attack."

"Let's just head back to the camp," Mimi said. "You might be…,mostly harmless, but there's still some other freaky things out here."

"Yeah, yeah, just a-hey, did you hear that?" the boy suddenly asked.

"Oh no you don't," Mimi scoffed. "You're not getting me scared that easy, just for another one of your little photo ops."

"No, really, shhh, listen," Zach insisted.

Mimi paused in silence and heard a low rustling, almost like rapid skittering footsteps coming from the dark pits of the woods.

"Yeah that's weird, let's get out of here!" Mimi said.

"Which way is the camp!?" Zach cried.

"It's right over...I don't know! I was too busy trying to get away from you!" MImi exclaimed.

"Let's run for it and hope for the best!" Zach suggested.

 **Confessional:**

 **Terra-** So this girl Michelle...I like her! She's true and firm to her convictions and she wants to protect us? We need more people like her! I still have to give her a hard time though, everyone needs to have their ego put in check every once and a while, and I refuse to ever be the one to back down from a fight!

 **Zach-** Let's not forget the real reason I came out here, to capture Canada's up and rising sweetheart, Mimi Evertide, in action. We've been kept apart this far, but this swap finally brought us together, so the mission is on!

 **Mimi-** I thought I would be away from the paparazzi out here. There's some things about the life of fame that I could do without, and I was hoping I could leave that all behind while I took on this game. Guess there's some things you can just never escape though (sighs).

(Ghastly Ghosts)

 **Confessional:**

 **Marky** -Back on the Legends I think it was pretty clear that Ada and I were just waiting to take a shot at the other, and the question now is, will that carry on even in the swap? I can count, I can see that if the Nobodies stick together the three of us Legends are outnumbered, and I bet Ada sees this too, so the name of the game here is gonna be getting them to target her before coming for me.

Marky and Ada were walking through their new camp together.

"Well, are you feeling any more winning energy now that we're on the champions' camp?" Marky asked.

"There's no such thing as winning energy," Ada responded curtly. "We'll either win or lose by the merits of the individuals on this team."

"Bundles as fun as always, I see," Marky remarked.

"What we need to be focusing on is the business here!" Ada replied.

"Of course we do," Marky said with a slight sarcastic tone that Ada failed to pick up.

"With the way things have fallen, these Nobodies have the advantage if they choose to stick together," Ada noted.

"Wow so astute, I never would have noticed," Marky replied dryly.

"Silence, I wasn't done yet!" Ada snapped. "As I was saying, this means we need to ensure that they don't stick together. Now, that may not actually be as hard as it seems. They'll be defensive, but surely they have their own cracks. We just need to not present too much of a threat and let them open up to us."

"Yep sounds great, I'll get on that right now," Marky said as he pulled away and walked off in his own direction.

Marky chuckled lightly to himself as he left Ada behind. The boy then made his way through the shrubs until he spotted someone else. He noticed the bright colors first and realized he was heading towards Jeffrey.

"Hey there, clown guy!" Marky greeted with a wave.

"Well heeeeey there!" Jeffrey replied, pulling Marky into a tight embrace. "Person who voted me off the team day one! HAAAA! REMEMBER THAT!? HAHAHAAHA AAYEEEEE HEHEHEHE! Bet you thought you saw the last of me!"

"Uh...you're kinda...crushing me!" Marky said as his ribs were squashed in the unbreakable hold.

"NOW I HAVE TO KILL YOU!" Jeffrey laughed. "HAHAHAAHA REVENGE! OOOOOH HAHAHAHAHA OHOHOHO MWUHAHAHAHA HAR HAR HAR AAAAAH HA HA HARRRR!"

Jeffrey suddenly tossed the smaller boy against a tree.

"Hyuck hyuck hyuck JUST KIDDING!" Jeffrey exclaimed as he leapt down next to Marky on the ground.

"Uh yeah...haha...so funny," Marky remarked.

"OR AM I!?" Jeffrey suddenly said evilly as he picked Marky up again. "I'm going to KILL YOU….with laughter! Ooooooh hoo hoo hoo heeee hee hee hee hee! GET IT!? I'm a nice guy, hey break a smile for once, it's a joke, kiddo!"

"Ha ha...yeah, wow you got me good," Marky said as he broke free and quickly stepped back. "You know I just uh...I have to just do the...well I think I forgot to do...something…"

"Well if you forgot then how do you know!?" Jeffrey laughed. "Ooooh HWOOP HWOOP HWAAAA HAAAA AAAAAAA UUUUGH AAAA AAAA AAA HOOOO HOO HOO! I AM SLAYING MYSELF!"

Jeffrey rolled on the ground in uncontrollable laughter.

"Yeah okay bye!" Marky said quickly as he rushed away.

Marky soon ended up colliding with Ada again in his hurry to get away.

"Back so soon?" Ada remarked.

"Yeah uh, I just wanted to confirm we're targeting Jeffrey first right?" Marky asked.

"Oh no question about it, I just assumed we were all on the same page there," Ada replied.

Back by the cabin, Darren and Chloe exited together and cautiously glanced at each other.

"Well Darren, I'm glad we've got this chance to keep working together," Chloe replied. "I know I may not have made the best impression at our last vote, but I see this swap as a blessing, since we've got a clear leg up and that's not a position I think either of us would be wise to jeopardize."

"Hey, don't even worry about it," Darren assured. "It's all behind us, and I agree, this is a new page of the story for us."

"You're the best!" Chloe gushed. "I know we'll be fine here, we just need to make sure Emily, Bailey and...Jeffrey don't mess this up."

"I don't see them jumping ship," Darren replied. "Well Jeffrey who knows what he's thinking, but I think the other side has just as much a chance as we do at making any sense of him. Emily and Bailey have no reason to screw us over...at least I hope not."

"Definitely not," Chloe agreed. "So now it just comes down to meeting the other three and figuring out what to make of them."

"Sounds simple enough," Darren replied. "I'll leave you to it. If you need me, I'm gonna take some time to myself in the woods."

"Don't get eaten!" Chloe cautioned.

"I'll try my best to return in one piece," Darren called back.

 **Confessional:**

 **Ada-** Let's get something straight, I still don't trust Marky here. If we were still on Legends I'd be trying to get him out for sure, but things have changed and now it might be worth it to keep up the charade a little longer, for both our benefits. I have to put the facts before my feelings, and right now the numbers show that if either of us leave, the other could be straight out of options.

 **Darren-** Being swapped with Chloe is definitely a bit of a mixed bag for me. I want to put my faith in her, cause she's right, we got handed a clear majority and it seems like a waste to blow that up. But at the same time, do I know she's not going to be the one blowing it up first if left to it?

 **Chloe-** I'm trying as hard as I can to make sure that I'm dripping with sincerity when I plead my loyalty to Darren. So he won't be able to see it coming when I cut him loose. I mean really, why would he ever trust me long term again? I certainly wouldn't trust me after the Gloria vote, so I cannot let him spread that idea to the rest of the team. And he will, I just know it, he'll find someone else to cozy up to and mention 'Oh Chloe can't be trusted just so you know; and NO I will not let that happen, I will strike first! Does that sound crazy? Am I crazy for saying that? No I'm not, I'm not crazy, the only crazy I am is crazy prepared, so you better get out of my way! (breaks a twig over her knee)

(Devilish Demons)

Marlon and Terra left the cabin together, but not before Michelle had marched out on her patrol and was out of sight.

"So she's always like that?" Terra asked.

"Pretty much," Marlon answered. "She is just very concerned with keeping us all safe...though she really is not great at accepting help or communicating much at all."

"Hm...well that's something," Terra said, "There's no denying that there's some freaky things out on the island. I just wish we knew more."

"Yeah tell me about it," Marlon said. "I've tried to get Michelle to clue me in a bit, but she's not giving me much to go on."

"Clearly this is some hidden government testing grounds," Terra remarked. "How Chris McClean got a hold of it is a whole other question though."

"Uh yeah, I guess that's possible," Marlon replied uncertainly.

"But what about yourself?" Terra asked.

"Me? Marlon echoed.

"That's what I said," Terra replied. "You were put on the Legends for a reason weren't you? Something about helping people?"

"Oh yeah, well I don't know if I'd call myself a legend for that," Marlon said. "I'm just trying to do good where I can, you know, make the world a better place."

"I know exactly what you mean! The world needs more people like you," Terra exclaimed. "Everyone wants to improve the world, but you'll be hard pressed to find someone actually willing to get out there and make a difference!"

"You know, just trying to do my part," Marlon said modestly.

"Well, I think we can both do our part right here and make a difference in this game if we're willing to work together," Terra said. "I know it's soon, but you know what? Nothing good ever came from putting things off till later, I'm ready for action now!"

"How can I say no to that then?" Marlon asked.

Back outside the cabin, Sybil had spotted Rory and pulled him aside.

"Ah, glad I found you, amigo!" she exclaimed.

"Uh er yes...that's me," Rory stammered. "It is um...very nice to be swapped together."

"Can it, meatball, I'm not in the mood for flattery," Sybil said. "You're gonna have to pick it up if you want to pull through this!"

"I am…?" Rory swallowed nervously.

"Bailey isn't here to protect you anymore, so you're stuck with me, you got it?" Sybil said. "We're four-four, so we need to hope that Zach and Terra aren't gonna cut you loose...which means you gotta prove that you're not a pathetic waste of space that will only hold us back!"

"Okay right, I can do that…" Rory said, his body quivering. "Uh...check this out!"

Rory moved to try to pick up a large stone, but just ended up struggling with it.

"Well you don't need to prove it to me, dummy!" Sybil said. "Obviously I'm on your side, cause I'm a goddamn nice person! I'm such a good person that when I go to the thrift store they're all like 'who's that? Is it Oprah? Oh wait no it's just Sybil' cause I give THEM clothes!"

"But you're supposed to give clothes to the thrift store," Rory pointed out, "That's how they work."

"Don't think about it too hard, you'll ruin my moment here," Sybil said. 'Now come on, let's go see what the other are up to!"

Sybil pulled Rory into the bushes and pointed to the distance where they could see Marlon and Terra talking.

"Look at them, probably scheming as we speak," Sybil remarked.

"Hello," Grace greeted as she arrived behind the two.

"Aiee!" Rory cried as he leapt into Sybil's arms.

The girl promptly dropped him on the ground.

"Guh, don't be sneaking up on people like that!" Rory exclaimed as he pulled himself back out.

"I shall make a note," Grace replied.

"What do you want, weirdo?" Sybil asked.

"I simply wish to establish positive impressions," Grace stated. "I am aware at this current time, topics such as strategy are to be considered taboo, as you do not trust me and I do not trust you. That is alright though, for I wish to build trust, but initiating a natural and comfortable relationship."

"Oh well...that sounds nice...right?" Rory said, half directed to Sybil.

"I am glad you feel that way, I think it is nice as well," Grace replied. "As such I have prepared a number of possible targets that may be more appropriate for a casual conversation that we are about to have. One: Favorite dream vacations. Two: Favorite flavors of ice cream. Three: Favorite theories about inaccuracies in history that you have no way of proving but are convinced exist."

"You sound like a robot, has anyone ever told you that?" Sybil remarked.

"That particular nuance has been brought to my attention on various occasions," Grace replied. "If it is unsettling and therefore impeding on the natural progression of our casual relationship, I shall seek to adjust."

"Yeah good luck with that," Sybil said.

 **Confessional:**

 **Terra-** I knew I wasn't in the best position back on the Nobodies. Sure, I could bully Rory into keeping me around, but now it's time to put my foot forward and be the change I want to see in this game. I can't leave now, the mission isn't over yet! The fabric of consumerism has not yet been dismantled!

 **Marlon-** I definitely feel like things are off to a good start here. I can't speak for the others just yet, but Terra was very quick into proposing an alliance between us, so I can only assume she's looking to blend the lines a bit and move forward together.

 **Rory-** Eek, I definitely am a little bit worried that I could be cut loose here. Zach has already voted for me once, so I need to really prove that I have a value here. The good news is that Sybil seems to still be on my side, so I'm gonna put faith in with her, and put in the work needed to earn my space.

 **Sybil-** Do Zach and Terra plan on cutting Rory here? I dunno, what am I, psychic!? But what I do know is that I want Rory firmly lodged in my pocket, and if he feels like I'm the only one person who has his back, then I can guarantee he won't be going behind my back!

(Ghastly Ghouls)

Bailey was currently giving Seth a tour of the new campsite.

"And if you'll look to your right," Bailey directed, "you'll see uh...some more trees."

"Ah yes...beautiful," Seth remarked as he placed his palm against the bark. "I sense a faint aura of ease. The trees wish to keep us sheltered...even in its pained state. Noble creatures, are they not?"

"Oh wow, you can talk to trees!?" Bailey gasped, before turning to his stuffed pony. "You hear that, Gentle Spring, he can talk to trees!?"

"Not talk, not exactly," Seth replied. "It's more like...a feeling. A sense. I'm sure anyone could learn, if they were willing to open their soul."

"I'd love to give it a shot," Bailey said as he closed his eyes. "Okay soul...open...thinking deep meditative thoughts...hmm….waterfalls...birds...clouds….another waterfall…maybe I'm not doing this right."

"I wish I could offer to teach," Seth replied, "But I'm afraid I wouldn't know where to begin. I just have been...attuned with nature for so long."

"Hey, I'm all for that, nature is pretty swell!" Bailey exclaimed.

The two noticed some movement along with the sound of rustling from the leaves.

"Okay nature dude, are you dedicating evil right now, or something cuddly?" Bailey asked.

"Hm...the air is still safe," Seth said after taking a breath. "Though I'm not sure how cuddly you'd find...him…"

Seth glanced up to Darren sitting in a branch and tagging the top of the tree with paint.

"Don't mind my boys," Darren said. "Was just taking a bit of time to myself."

"I see," Seth remarked. "Do you think perhaps you could take time to yourself without having to deface this poor tree?"

"Hey, I'm not doing any harm," Darren replied. "I'm just adding a little art."

"The trees are already beautiful as they are," Seth replied. "Tampering with nature is not art, I'm afraid."

"Hey chill out, man," Darren said as he dropped down from the branch.

"Hm...I don't like him," Seth remarked to Bailey, as Darren left the two.

In a more open part of the woods, Emily was prancing behind Chloe with excitement, throwing her hands over her friends' shoulders.

"Hey there, bestie!" Emily exclaimed. "So glad we're together here, this like has got to be a sign, right? We're unbreakable! The unstoppable duo!"

"Yes, that must be it," Chloe replied. "But if we're going to remain unbreakable and unstoppable, we're going to need to make sure we get a good feel for the new three. That could make all the difference for us."

"I couldn't agree more, that is a GREAT idea, you have so many smart ideas, Chloe, like you're just so smart, it's unbelievable!" Emily praised.

"I know," Chloe said. "Look here comes someone now, just be cool."

Emily gave a thumbs-up and incredibly broad grin.

"Hi there!" Chloe greeted. "Ada, right?"

"That's me," Ada replied as she stepped out of the bushes. "Just getting the lay of the land here."

"Keeping busy already, I see," Chloe remarked.

"Good for you!" Emily cheered. "You know not a lot of people would have thought to do something like that...but you did!"

"Yes, I did," Ada replied uncertainly. "Though I'm glad to get the chance to meet with you girls now, I certainly don't intend to spend all my days alone in the woods."

"Hahaha, that would be so weird! Who would do that!? You're not weird, you're normal!" Emily laughed.

"Is she okay?" Ada whispered to Chloe.

"She just gets a bit excited," Chloe whispered back. "Let's walk and talk…"

"What are you guys whispering about?" Emily exclaimed. "Is there something secret going on?"

"Nothing, nothing," Chloe assured. "Ada and I were just going to take a bit of a patrol around, you know, make sure everything is very...in the ordinary."

"The three of us taking a stroll sounds like a perfect idea, Chloe!" Emily gushed. "Come on, let's go!"

"Well, Ada, as I was about to say, I'm really glad to have you on our team now," Chloe said. "You seem like a very level-headed person and that's exactly someone I'd want to work with."

"Oh, you're too kind...but 100% accurate," Ada replied. "I try to approach things as logically as possible, and naturally that means working with someone who's keen enough to take notice."

"I love logic too!" Emily squealed as she twirled around. "Do you do sudoku? I have it on my phone, and I can just feel my logic muscles pulsing every time I figure out where those numbers go!"

"Good for you, I'm sure you're very accomplished," Ada replied.

"What I'm trying to say here is I don't want you to feel too worried, even if we're coming from different teams here," Chloe said. "The Nobodies weren't all one big happy family. In fact I'd guess Darren is probably going to slander my name the first chance he gets, but you shouldn't pay any attention to that. He's just bitter that he was put in the minority."

"You don't say," Ada replied. "It's funny you should mention that, since our team had a bit of a rat too by the name of Marky. Oh we worked together for a bit, but I could tell that kid was always scheming. He'll probably be right back at it too."

"Interesting, interesting," Chloe said. "Sounds like we've got a lot in common."

"Hey. hold that thought!" Emily exclaimed. "I just need to take this moment to say, that I really love your haircut. It's like so professional, like if this were a job interview, I would totally hire you! Not sure what kind of job I'd be hiring for, I've always sort of thought of dreamed of running a beauty salon, or having my own magazine...or having a beauty salon, that produces its own magazine. Million dollar idea right there, someone write it down!"

 **Confessional:**

 **Bailey-** I'm away from Rory and Sybil on this team, but I'm not too worried, I can just make new friends. Princess Kokomo says change can bring the good and the bad, but it's up to you to make the difference. I like Seth so far, he's a pretty chill kinda guy, I think we'll gel just fine.

 **Seth-** I try to put positive energy out into the world, so as to not pollute the air with bad feelings. However, having an affinity for the beauty of nature, one thing that does tend to get under my skin is seeing majestic life defaced without a thought of respect.

 **Chloe-** I'm not wasting any time with Ada. She's made her voice heard, even when we were on different teams, so I feel like I already have an impression of her, and appealing to her of logic will pay off. She could be the perfect person to pull to myself!

 **Ada-** Oops I threw Marky under the bus sooner than I was expecting. Chloe was very open with me right off the bat though, so I felt it best to offer her some reassurance that the Legends were equally ready to disintegrate. If she's offering names already though, I'm not going to pass that up!

(Later)

The two teams had been directed to meet at a small wooden structure that had been erected in a barren dusty patch of land. The small building was really only four frail wood pillars holding a dented roof to shelter a stone platform. Chris stood in front of this platform.

"Welcome. Demons and Ghosts!" Chris greeted. "This will be your first challenge within your new teams, let's see how well you can work together! Right here you see the remains of what was once a mine shaft. We've got it up and running again to take you into the deep pits underground where who knows what is lurking! But I'll tell you one thing you'll find...pieces to a puzzle that you'll have to solve. Each team will be dividing up into two groups of four, one group to travel into the mine and retrieve pieces, while the other group will put them together. First time to complete the structure will be safe, the losers...well, you should have a pretty good idea of what's in store for you by now."

"That sounds like a fun and interesting challenge," stated Grace.

"Thank you, Grace, I think so too," Chris said, "Now then, break yourself up into groups, decide who is doing what, and we'll get started."

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** The Nobodies had a pretty strong challenge streak with only one loss, I think we can start off the Ghastly Ghosts on the same foot here and show we're not messing around.

 **Marlon-** We're definitely gonna need a bit more time here, so winning immunity will be great for us. I think things are coming together nicely, but if we went to vote right now people might have a knee-jerk reaction to just stick with their original sides.

 **Rory-** Ooh, you couldn't pay me to go down into that mine, no way. It's old and probably falling apart, just asking for a cave-in and when that happens we'd be TRAPPED! (turns pale) Ooh I need to sit down.

(Ghastly Ghosts, The Mine)

Chloe, Jeffrey, Seth, and Bailey were lowered down into the dark rocky cavern.

"Ooh, it's dark in here, stay close, Rojo, don't want you getting yourself lost," Bailey said nervously.

"The shadows can soothe us, serve to keep us hidden from dangers," Seth said as he dragged his hand along the rocky sides. "Although be warned it can also hide danger from us as well. Let us move like a drop of water, finding the path of least resistance."

"I'm not worried," Chloe said as she moved past the other boy. "We got this guys, just keep an eye open for those puzzle pieces."

"I'll do you one better, I'll keep TWO eyes open EEEEEEEEEEE HE!" Jeffrey cackled. "Get it TWO EYES!? BWAAA HA HA HAW HAW HAR! TWO EYES! I'VE GOT TWO EYES WIDE OPEN! INSTEAD OF ONE! IYIYIYI!"

"Shh, you'll disturb the silence...and who knows what might hear you," Seth cautioned. "Silence is hard to come by, and yet for good reason, for just like the shadows, it can keep life protected."

"Hey watch this...HEEEEELLLLOOOOO! ANYONE THERE!?" Jeffrey bellowed.

His voice bounced around the walls, echoing within the chamber.

"Well would you look at that, sounds like lots of people are out there," Jeffrey remarked. "JUST KIDDING! IT'S JUST AN ECHO! HAAAAAY HEEEE HOOOO!"

"Uh...is that an echo too?" Bailey remarked as he pointed to something moving in the shadows.

"Well no, that looks more like-" Seth began.

"Run!" Chloe cried as a cloud of bats descended upon the four.

 **Confessional:**

 **Seth-** Ah the mysteries of life, they may never be solved. How did Jeffrey make it this far without annoying his way out of the game? We may never know.

 **Bailey-** Rojo doesn't like small spaces and bats…(electronic woof from his pocket) okay maybe that last one is just me!

(Devilish Demons, The Mine)

Mimi, Zach, Michelle, and Marlon had been chosen to travel deep into the mine for their team.

"Oh wow, be careful everyone," Mimi said as she stepped out into the shadows. "I can hardly see a thing."

"Let's just all stay close," Marlon encouraged. "We can help each other out."

"Just stay out of my way," Michelle said as she marched forward, kicking aside any rock in her path.

"Or not," Marlon remarked.

"Well, someone's a team player," Zach said sarcastically.

"She likes to do her own thing," Marlon said with a sigh.

"But the three of us can do OUR thing," Mimi said. "Although I'm not sure how Chris expects us to find anything in the dark here."

"I guess let's just check everything closely," Marlon said as he got on his knees.

Zach and Mimi spread out as well and began feeling around and moving aside what they could. Marlon noticed a clump that seemed to feel smoother than the rest of the stone. He pulled out a plastic piece with various cubic edges.

"I guess this might be what we're looking for," he said as he tucked it under his arm.

Mimi thought she might have found something when she realized that some of the rocks seemed looser near her. She began to pry them apart. However, rather than uncover a hidden piece of the puzzle, the girl ended up opening up a ditch, which she stumbled into as the entire section of rock began dislodged. Mimi grunted and pulled herself up. Looking around she could mostly just see darkness and the vague outlines of shapes around her.

"Well that's not good, not good at all," Mimi sighed as she brushed herself off.

The girl tried to look around and figure out where she had come from and the best way to get back out. The girl felt an icy chill go down her spine all of a sudden. Something had changed, not the temperature, but a presence that still made Mimi fell frozen on the inside. The girl thought to perhaps call out, yet stopped herself, having some sense that the movement in the shadows was not one of her friends. Suddenly she was blinded by an abrupt flash.

"Mimi Evertide, hard at work in the mine!" Zach exclaimed, snapping a photo.

"You again!?" Mimi snapped as she grabbed Zach by the shoulders. "What did I tell you about catching me offguard like that?"

"Hey hey sometimes I just can't help myself, I see a perfect shot and I can't possibly let it go to waste," Zach shrugged.

"Well you really scared me and I'm going to ask you again to stop!" Mimi said sternly.

"Just think of it as free publicity," Zach insisted. "I'm telling the Mimi Evertide story!"

"I'm perfectly capable of telling my own story!" Mimi said as she stormed away from Zach. "Just leave me alone, okay!?"

"Wait!" Zach called.

However, before the boy could follow after Mimi, he was grabbed from behind by Marlon.

"Hey, she said she wants to be left alone," Marlon said. "I think you need to take a step back here and stop getting in her space."

"That's my job!" Zach said defensively.

"Well your job is stressing out my friend and our teammate, so I suggest you give it a rest," Marlon said.

As Mimi continued to scramble through the dark pits, she felt the icy sensation come over her again. Like something was penetrating her with its gaze alone.

This time she decided to shakily call out, "Zach...is that you!?"

She did not hear a reply from Zach. She did however sense something getting closer, something was slipping through the shadows silently, yet she could tell it was there, it was coming for her. Mimi felt something brush against her ankle, something cold and damp, like a serpent slithering against her skin.

"Guys!" Mimi screamed. "Help!"

 **Confessional:**

 **Marlon-** Zach and Mimi...doesn't really seem like a great mix. Last time I saw Mimi get this worked up was after Adrian had gotten voted out...yeah that wasn't a fun time. I'd rather not go back down that path again.

 **Zach-** Yeah okay maybe Mimi is upset, but that's all part of the job. People are counting on me to get real and raw photos, and that means I need to get in your face a bit, not just the side she wants the cameras to see!

(Ghastly Ghosts)

Chloe, Jeffrey, Seth, and Bailey had all slid into a crevice together and were tightly pressed against each other.

"I think they're gone," Bailey worked out as his face was squished against the ground.

"I'd love to get out of here, but I can't seem to feel my legs," Chloe remarked

"Let's just move slow and carefully," Seth said. "We'll get to where we're meant to be."

After some brief wriggling, Seth was able to pop free of the crack and the other three rolled out after him.

"Okay, let's try to not upset anymore bats," Chloe said.

"Hey! What's a bat's favorite sport!?" Jeffrey asked loudly.

"Please don't," Chloe groaned.

"Baseball! HA! Get it!? Cause of the BATS!? AAAAAAAAAAH! AAAAAAAAAHA! HAAAA!" Jeffrey guffawed.

"Quiet!" Chloe snapped as she pinned Jeffrey's lips close between her fingers.

"Ooh guys, Rojo is wagging his tail, I think we're getting close to something here!" Bailey exclaimed.

"We're always close to something...the earth has a way of surrounding us with something new to find every day," Seth said.

"Wow...deep," Bailey remarked.

"Okay enough philosophy, get to searching!" Chloe exclaimed.

The group of four spread out and began searching the cave.

"Oh what's that, Rojo? Something's here...oh what do you know! Good boy!" Bailey exclaimed as he pulled out a long cubic puzzle piece.

"I think I've got something too," Chloe said as she pushed aside a large stone and revealed another piece.

Seth picked up a pebble and tossed it down the chamber. The pebble bounced along the ground and eventually came to a stop. Seth followed it and began to dig in that location. He soon recovered a piece of his own.

"And I found this!" Jeffrey exclaimed as he presented a jagged rock.

"That's not a puzzle piece," Chloe said.

"It could be! Just a very difficult one!" Jeffrey laughed.

"Let's just return with what we've got," Chloe said. "Let the rest of the team get a start on this before continuing the search."

"Sounds like a plan to me!" Bailey said.

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** I definitely need to work on not losing my cool today. Jeffrey may love to push my buttons, but I have to remember that Seth is the new guy here and if he gets a bad impression on me it could be over before I ever have a chance to work him to my side.

 **Jeffrey-** You know I was just thinking this mine would be the great place to host a concert...a ROCK concert! OOOOOOOOOH HOP HOP HOP HYUP HYUP HEEEEE! It's a joke, get it!?

(Devilish Demons)

Marlon and Zach had rushed to find Mimi after she had cried out.

"Are you okay!?" Marlon exclaimed. "We heard you scream."

"It's horrible, there is a giant snake in here with us!" Mimi cried as she gripped Marlon. "We're going to die, aren't we!?"

"Are you sure?" Marlon asked. "It's not just your mind playing tricks on you? I know Chris was trying to get us riled up with all that stuff he said."

"I felt it against my leg, I know what I'm talking about!" Mimi exclaimed.

"Okay okay, I believe you, and I promise, we're not going to die down here," Marlon said comfortingly. "I'm gonna keep you safe, okay? You have my word."

The two were soon stunned by a sudden flash of light as Zach took another photo.

"Mimi Evertide in the arms of a new mystery man, could love be in the air!?" Zach remarked.

"Is now really the most appropriate time for that?" Marlon said sternly.

"It most certainly is!" Zach replied. "People crave any signs of dating developments when it comes to the world of fame. Just picture the headlines now 'Who is this mysterious new man in Mimi Evertide's life?'"

"It's me," Marlon said dryly.

"Well we know that, but the public is just waiting for someone to bring the story to them, and now I've got another stellar clip for my collection," Zach said.

As the boy smugly recounted his victory, he felt something brush over his foot and immediately tensed up.

"Okay, about that snake thing," Zach remarked, turning back to the two. "I think it's time we get out of here, yeah?"

"Let's just take it slow," Marlon said. "Nothing has attacked us yet, so let's not give any sudden movements."

The three all clutched each others hands and carefully inched through the darkness. Mimi shut her eyes and just let Marlon guide her as they gradually made their way through the tunnel.

"Are we safe yet?" Zach asked.

"I'm not sure if we're ever going to be safe down here," Mimi remarked.

"Well sooner or later we're going to have to find some of these pieces we're supposed to be searching for," Zach said.

"We've got one," Marlon said as he pulled out from under his arm the piece he had found. "Now we just need...however many more there are."

"Let's pause here and look around," Zach suggested.

"Wait, wait...what's that?" Mimi said shakily as she heard the sound of something softly moving along the stones. "I don't think we're out of danger yet."

The three heard the sound of something approaching, following by a sharp crunch and splurt. A shape emerged from the darkness and the group saw Michelle step forward, green slime dripping from her saber.

"Michelle!" Mimi gasped. "What uh...what was that?"

"It's better if you don't know," Michelle stated.

"I'll take your word on that one," Mimi said with a brief shudder.

"Okay, now that that's been uh...dealt with," Marlon said, "We should probably get back to hunting for the pieces."

"You mean you weren't already doing that?" Michelle asked. "Then what have you been wasting all this time with?"

"Celebrity gossip," Zach offered.

"Trying not to die!" Mimi exclaimed.

"Well uh...I found a piece at least," Marlon said.

"That's nice...I found five," Michelle replied.

 **Confessional:**

 **Mimi-** Okay so that might not have been my most dignified moment, but snakes are just a big NO for me. They're slippery and creepy and send chills right down my spine. I cannot handle them at all, and that's just the way it is!

 **Zach-** That's right folks, I'm facing danger every day out here. Creepy caves and deadly vipers? Just occupational hazards that come with getting these golden photos!

(The Surface)

"Alright guys!" Emily said to the puzzle solving portion of her team. "Just remember, what's important is just that you do your best!"

"But winning is also very important," Ada pointed out.

"That is SO true, thank you for saying that, Ada! I always look forward to your insightful comments!" Emily gushed. "But even if we do lose, so long as you all did your best there's no need to feel bad!"

"Well, maybe they should feel a little bit bad," Ada corrected.

"Let's just get through this," Darren said. "We're all going to give our all, that much is sure."

Across from the Ghastly Ghouls, the four Devilish Demons were also waiting for their team to return.

"So uh...Sybil, are you getting any...good vibes right now? Or bad vibes? Any sort of prediction here?" Rory asked.

"I'm the goddamn weather channel, kid," Sybil scoffed. "If my very ancient mysterious affinity senses anything I will let you know. Until then, can it!"

"Oh sorry...so sorry, I didn't meant to offend your uh...ancient heritage thing," Rory stammered.

"A likely story," Sybil grunted.

"I think someone is arriving," Grace stated as Michelle rose from the mine shaft.

She wordlessly dumped an armful of the cubic blocks in front of her team.

"Thank you, Michelle!" Rory exclaimed.

Michelle just grunted as she returned to the mine.

"The puzzle is...interesting," Grace said as she picked up two of the pieces and compared them to each other.

"Let's get to work, I'm sure it will be a lot more interesting when it's been put together!" Sybil barked.

The Ghastly Ghouls glanced at each other with a bit of worry.

"Where is our team?" Ada asked.

"I'm sure they'll be here soon," Emily assured.

"Look! Is that them now?" Marky exclaimed.

Chloe climbed up from the cave, followed by Seth, Bailey, and then Jeffrey. The group dropped their pieces in front of their team. Jeffrey dropped a rock.

"There might be more, not sure," Chloe said. "Get to work on what you can, and we'll keep searching."

"Will do!" Emily chirped in reply.

"Alright, I'm good at these sort of things," Ada said. "Gentlemen, if you would be so kind to put your hands to work, I'll try to visualize this."

"Uh sure..anything to help," Darren said as he started sorting through the pieces and lining them up.

"Hm, yes, yes," Ada said to herself as she backed up and used her hands to form a frame to look through.

 **Confessional:**

 **Emily-** Obviously I want to win, but I don't want my team to see me as some selfish heartless competition freak. I want them to know that I'm kind and caring and I will still be their friend even if we lose! But we better not!

 **Rory-** When we divided up into groups I definitely knew I was better off with the puzzle solving part. I may be a total wimp, but my mind...well, it's average I guess. But I got to show I can bring something here. Sybil is right, I need to carry my weight on be prepared for consequences.

The Devilish Demons were scrambling to put together their puzzle pieces.

"Aha, I got a match!" Rory exclaimed as he found two pieces sliding together.

"No, no, this piece goes there," Sybil said as she butted in.

"Oh I guess uh...there's multiple matches," Rory noted.

"Brilliant deduction, Einstein!" Sybil remarked.

"Could I just try to slide this in?" Grace offered.

"Wait, wait, I don't think that's right," Rory said.

"I think it's right," Grace countered.

"Well, one of you had better figure it out or else we're gonna be stuck here!" Sybil snapped.

Meanwhile, Ada was directing the Ghastly Ghouls with their project.

"Marky, grab those two and slide them together horizontally," she ordered. "Darren, grab that long piece, slide it in upwards once Marky is done."

"I don't think that's gonna fit," Darren said cautiously.

"It'll fit, trust me!" Ada insisted. "Just do it!"

Darren followed through and found that the piece managed to neatly tuck right into its place with a click.

"Well, what do you know," he remarked.

"Yes, now stop doubting my vision and grab that L shaped piece," Ada ordered.

Terra nervously glanced at the Ghastly Ghouls and their structure. To her concern she saw that they were actually making progress in erecting an unusual yet somehow naturally fitting tower. She glanced back at her own team which was still just cramming pieces together in an awkward mess.

"Guys, guys, this isn't working," Terra said.

"Sure it is," Sybil assured. "We're getting there."

"No, you're really not," Terra insisted.

Sybil gave her a dismissive hand wave and went back to grappling with the pieces. Terra clenched her teeth as she saw the Ghouls picking up in progress, nearing completion now.

"Guys, let me take over!" Terra urged. "Hello? Guys? MOVE!"

Terra used her shoulder to bowl over the rest of her team like a stack of dominoes. She then immediately got her hands on the pieces and started taking them apart to put them back together.

"This is all wrong, but I can fix this," Terra said as she tried to mimic the other team's structure.

Terra worked quickly and was very soon able to catch up with the other team's progress.

"I think...we should just let her have at it," Grace remarked.

"Ya think!?" Sybil replied.

Emily had noticed that the Demons were now catching up with them.

"You're doing great, guys!" she called to her team. "Just about done, right?"

"Just about," Ada said. "Marky, grab the final piece and slide it into the top left corner."

"Uh...what piece?" Marky asked.

"The final piece!" Ada insisted. "Once we get that in we're done."

"Ada...there is no other piece," Marky said. "That's it, that's all of them."

Darren patrolled around the tower to see if they had missed something. He gave a helpless shrug.

"What!? No...they can't be...no…" Ada stammered.

"Chloe said they might still need to bring back more," Emily said. "I'm sure she's coming back for us right now!"

"FINISHED!" Terra shouted as she slammed the final corner piece into her blocky tower.

"Hmm…" Chris said as he walked over to see the product. "After my thorough inspection, I can confirm that…"

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

"This puzzle is correct! The Devilish Demons win immunity!"

"Woohoo!" Rory cheered.

"That's how it's done!" Terra exclaimed.

"Aw, we did all we could, guys," Emily consoled her team. "No one should feel-"

"Just stop...please," Ada groaned.

"Okay, Ada, but just know that no one blames you for this," Emily said.

"Oh they better not," Ada huffed.

 **Confessional:**

 **Terra-** Yes, Immunity is nice, but that's not what gave me the motivation...I just can't stand to see people try the same thing over and over and clearly not get anywhere. It was very frustrating. Someone had to step up and get us on track.

 **Ada-** One missing piece? (sighs) That's all it took to send us toppling down.

(Ghastly Ghouls)

Chloe and Darren walked together as they returned to the camp.

"This is demoralizing," Chloe sighed. "Where did we go wrong!?"

"No use dwelling over it," Darren remarked sadly. "Just got to deal with the present."

"And we shall deal with it!" Chloe agreed. "What are you thinking?"

"Well, it's got to be one of the original Legends, don't you think?" Darren suggested.

"Completely agreed," Chloe said.

"They know they're in a bad spot already, if we give them any room I think we'll regret it," Darren said.

Chloe nodded, before noticing Bailey and Emily approaching the two.

"Hello, best friends!" Emily exclaimed. "Victory hugs all around."

Emily wrapped her arms around Darren.

"Victory? But we lost?" the boy pointed out.

"Yeah, but you looked like you could use a hug, and calling them failure hugs just seemed depressing," Emily explained.

"So are you guys all thinking the same thing?" Bailey asked. "Princess Kokomo wants us to be united here."

"I think we can manage that," Darren said.

"We just need a target," Chloe brought up.

"What about Seth?" Darren proposed. "He seems like a quiet guy, inoffensive, someone we can take out without too much hassle."

"Makes sense to me," Chloe said.

"Aw Gentle Spring liked that guy," Bailey remarked. '"Oh what's that Gentle Spring? You think it's okay to let him go, to keep our old friends in the clear? That's very noble of you."

"Well, we've got the pony's blessing, that settles it for me!" Emily exclaimed.

"Perfect!" Chloe exclaimed. "Let's just keep an eye on things and make sure we keep everything under control."

The group began to disperse, but as Darren left, Chloe grabbed Bailey and Emily from behind and pulled them back.

"Alright, you two, what do you bet Darren's going over to the Legends right now and selling us out?" Chloe said suspiciously.

"You think he would do that!?" Emily gasped.

"Oh gee, I don't know," Bailey said nervously. "I think he was being serious."

"But, notice how quick and how adamant he was about us sticking together," Chloe said. "He's worried, and if he's worried, it's because he knows he's not in a great position with us, and if he knows he's not in a great position with us, then he's not going to have any reason to stay loyal long term, and if he's not staying loyal long term...why are we keeping him!?"

"Oh...well, when you put it like that…" Bailey stammered awkwardly.

Meanwhile, Ada and Marky walked up to each other in the woods.

"Ada," Marky greeted.

"Marky," Ada replied in an equally curt tone.

"Seth," the third former Legend remarked from up in a tree, as he kept a leaf suspended with his breath.

"Well, this is obviously far from ideal," Marky said.

"Is losing ever ideal?" Ada asked.

"Eh. it could be," Marky said with a shrug. "But not when you're in the minority."

"It's grim, but not hopeless," Ada said. "I think Chloe might be willing to let some of her old team go. And Emily, well she seems pretty brainless, I have a feeling if we can lock Chloe, Emily will follow."

"I take it we're still going for the clown?" Marky asked. "I can't help but feel like this loss is his fault."

"Hey, he could have literally carried us all on his shoulders and I'd STILL write his name down first so that I never have to hear that ridiculous laugh again," Ada said.

"He is indeed very out of place," Seth said as he slid down a tree. "Like a weed that doesn't belong...infecting the environment of all those around."

"Yeah, like that," Ada said.

"Perhaps we could speak to Bailey," Seth suggested to Marky. "He is attuned with his heart...perhaps he shall feel the same way."

"Worth a shot!" Marky agreed.

 **Confessional:**

 **Darren-** After careful consideration, I think it would be foolish for me to flip here. The Legends are going to want to stick together, so if I get careless I'll just end up destroying my chances. I have to just prove that i'm loyal to my original team.

 **Chloe-** Maybe Darren is telling the truth, maybe Darren is selling me out this instant. Is that a risk I want to take? No, no it is not. The Legends are desperate right now, but if we give Darren the driver's seat, I guarantee that he will cut me out of his plans sooner or later.

 **Emily-** Well, well, seems like we've got a little dilemma on our hands. Don't get me wrong, I've got zero loyalty to Darren, I haven't forgotten that he was Gloria's little boytoy. But is now the time to ditch him? Hmm…

 **Marky-** Heh, I'd love to ditch Ada right here right now, but I gotta be smart here too. We're in the same boat here, so if there's a way to shift things onto Jeffrey, I can't miss that window.

"Oh ladies!" Ada exclaimed as she emerged from the bushes to find Emily and Chloe together.

"Oh my gosh, hiiii Ada! We were just talking about you!" Emily exclaimed. "Oh but you know...good stuff, no mean gossip so don't worry! Stuff like working together, you know!"

"Wonderful," Ada replied. "I was thinking the exact same thing. Now, I-"

"Let me just cut you off and get something in real quick," Chloe said. "Has Darren spoken to you? Did he say anything...shady?"

"Darren?" Ada replied. "I don't….oh...oh yes! We did in fact have a little chat. He had some...well some not too kind things to say about you."

"I knew it!" Chloe hissed.

"Yes, darling, you'll forgive me for not shutting him up then and there, I was just worried," Ada continued. "I think he was definitely trying to poison me against you tonight."

"That little dirtbag!" Chloe growled.

"It's not your fault, Ada," Emily assured. "We just had some past drama. You know, voting on different lines, trying to get me out, Chloe betraying her alliance with him. It was all very intense."

"You don't say," Ada said deviously. "Well not to worry! I'm on your side here!"

"I knew I had a good feeling about you for a reason," Chloe said with a smile.

Meanwhile, Marky, Seth, and Bailey were all walking together.

"Bailey, I have to apologize for not taking more time to get to know you today," Marky said.

"Oh, it's okay, so many new people to meet, so little time," Bailey sighed. "I think we were all just hoping for a win today and more time to meet each other. Gentle Spring certainly was, she hates having to say goodbye to anyone."

"Time does have a way of drifting off when we need it the most," Seth said with a nod.

"Now, this might sound a little sudden," Marky said. "But well...you spent the first week with Jeffrey...he's not exactly bearable…"

"Jeffrey is...well, he's a bundle of uh...a lot of stuff," Bailey said.

"Look, we want to work together, we want to be united," Marky said. "The Legends were a huge split mess, and don't get me wrong, it was a whole lot of fun, but I'm not exactly keen to repeat that headache. I think it's safe to say Jeffrey is a name we can all agree on."

"Oh uh well...you certainly have thought a lot about this, haven't you?" Bailey said. "Princess Kokomo, what do you think? Hm...yes, I suppose you're right, as your loyal knight, I've got to use my own judgment here."

"Hey guys," Darren greeted as he spotted the group. "What's going on over here?'

"Oh hello, Darren!" Bailey greeted. "These nice guys were just asking if we might vote out Jeffrey tonight."

"Jeffrey, eh?" Darren said. "I suppose that's an option."

"It's not just an option, it's the one option that can benefit all of us," Marky insisted.

"It's definitely worth considering, I agree," Darren said.

 **Confessional:**

 **Ada-** Originally the plan was to try to get this all on Jeffrey, but then Chloe left the door wide open for me to turn things against Darren, and I wasn't going to pass that up. If there's drama there you better bet I'm gonna take full advantage of it!

 **Seth-** Bailey seems conflicted...like frog who has wandered a bit too far from the pond. I can tell that he is hearing my words, but will he act on them? Another mystery that I cannot see clearly yet.

 **Bailey-** Ah gee, I've heard three names back to back to back now. Seth, Darren, Jeffrey, and the worst part is I kinda like all of them. Well, I like everyone on this team, but still it sucks!

 **Darren-** I noticed the other boys all grouped together, and it had me a bit worried. Hopefully I put a stop to anything going on. Yes, Jeffrey is a bit of a nuisance, but he's overall harmless. Seth is going to slide under the radar if we let him. This is the perfect chance to take out someone like him and just leave in Marky and Ada to feud between each other.

Emily pranced through the woods until she reached Bailey.

"Bailey, my best friend in the whole wide world, and closest ally in this game, and I'm not just saying that, I mean it for real this time!" Emily said all in one breath.

"Hiya," Bailey greeted.

"Well...what do we do!?" Emily flopped her arms to the side in exasperation. "We've got a right mess to figure out here, and you're the only person that I have complete and total trust in on this team. Whatever you do, I'll do too!"

"I was hoping you could tell me," Bailey sighed as he rubbed his head. "Darren seems pretty serious about us sticking together, you think he could be stringing us along? That would be pretty mean."

"Yeah I don't know, but Ada said he was dishing dirt on Chloe," Emily said. "That has me worried."

"The boys were talking about doing Jeffrey though," Bailey said. "If we take him out, we can keep both Chloe and Darren and figure this out later."

"That is a great idea, Bailey, really really smart!" Emily agreed.

"Thanks...but uh...do you mean that?" Bailey asked. "Cause no offense, but you seem to think everything is the best idea ever."

"I…." Emily said with her plastered grin refusing to break. "It's...well it IS a great idea. But maybe so are the other ideas."

"So...we're back to square one then?" Bailey asked.

"I guess," Emily said with a shrug.

"Oof, I don't like this very much," Bailey said as he scratched his chin.

Inside the cabin, Jeffrey was currently searching for his other teammates.

"Hey hey, where'd you guys GO!?" he called. "I've got a funny joke that someone needs to hear! Hello!? HELLOOOOO!? Team!? Where are you guys!?"

Jeffrey stepped outside and glanced around.

"Let me guess, too busy with their strategy, but you can't spell strategy without….tragedy!" Jeffrey exclaimed as tears welled up in his eyes.

"HAAAAA!" he suddenly burst out laughing. "TRAGEDY!? THAT'S SO GOOD! AYE AYE AYE OOH OOH OOH! IKIKIKIKI! MYEHEHEHEH!"

 **Confessional:**

 **Emily-** Chloe really wants Darren out, and part of me just wants to go along with that. Bye-bye, talk to you never. But then I have to think...if he's really being serious, are we going to regret keeping around three people we just met? We have the power to take out Seth right here, and that might better our position overall.

 **Bailey-** (with Gentle Spring balancing on his head) Well my friend, just the two of us now, time to seriously brainstorm. Taking out Jeffrey could keep the team united, but keep in some risks. Taking out Seth would give my old team the upper hand, but I'd never get to be his friend. And taking out Darren would be betraying my team...but not someone I was ever actually aligned with. I don't think there is a single easy answer here. (sighs)

 **Jeffrey-** Seems like the rest of my team left me alone, but really I'd rather they left me...A LOAN! HAAAaaa...eh, nah I can do better than that, hang on…

(Elimination)

The Ghastly Ghouls walked up to the usual wooden platform and sat down while Chris and Chef stood in the center to welcome them.

"Ghastly Ghouls! You guys were the fastest to escape the Haunted Mansion, and yet...when it comes to working together, you really dropped the ball," Chris said.

"Chris, we tried our best, and that's what counts!" Emily exclaimed.

"Well your best sucks then!" Chef barked.

"That is not a very constructive attitude," Emily said.

"Whether you were trying or not, you still wound up here," Chris said. "And this vote will be a bit different than before, since two former teams are coming together and having to vote as one."

"Actually, Chris, I don't think it's that different at all," Ada spoke up. "Both Legends and Nobodies had their fair share of issues going on, as is natural to happen. This is the exact same thing, we've all got different preferences, and we'll just have to work it out."

"Nature has a way of working out, and so shall we," Seth stated. "The order shall not falter."

"But what if that order puts you at the bottom of the food chain!?" Chef pointed out.

"Then so be it," Seth said with a shrug. "Fighting against nature's plan will only leave you angry and disappointed."

"I guess that's one way of looking at it," Chris said. "But what about the rest of you? What's the plan here?"

"The plan is to not get voted out," Marky stated.

"HAAA! AIN'T THAT THE TRUTH!?" Jeffrey guffawed as he slapped Marky on the back.

"I actually think there are multiple plans floating around," Bailey said, glancing around. "And well...the votes will reveal which one was deemed the best."

"I see, I see, sounds all very suspenseful," Chris said. "Darren, why don't you start us off? Let's get this vote underway!"

(Later)

"We have the votes!" Chef barked as he marched back to the center of the platform.

"Thank you, Chef," Chris said. "You all know how this works, but as a refresher, the more times your name comes up, the worse your luck is. Most votes is getting sent into the deep dark pit of despair, so better hope it's not you!"

"Now then," Chef announced, "First vote...Darren!"

Darren remained unfazed.

"Second vote," Chris said, "...Ada!"

"Hm," Ada said, with a hint of caution, as she adjusted her glasses.

"Third vote," Chef read, "...Darren!"

Darren gripped his seat slightly now.

"Fourth vote," Chris announced, "...Seth!"

"What is going on here?" Ada remarked.

"Nature's course," Seth replied serenely.

"Fifth vote," Chef barked...And Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth.."

…

…

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…

…

…

…

…

…

…

"Darren!"

"Oh," Darren said with shock, as he stood up.

Darren glanced back at the group, a flash of anger on his face.

"Some of you guys are really awful, I hope you know that," Darren scoffed.

"Awful they may be, but they're still in the game!" Chris exclaimed as he put his arm around Darren's shoulder. "You however...are not!"

With a shove, Chris sent Darren sprawling into the pit.

"Alright you seven, you just united against the only black member of your team...don't think I don't see what's going on here," Chef said as he glared at the group.

"What's going on is that you've all bought yourself a trip to the Final Fifteen!" Chris exclaimed. "But we're back to the grind tomorrow, so better pick things up and get it together if you don't want to join Darren!"

The group got up and began to head back the way they had come. Jeffrey paused at grabbed his foot in pain.

"I think I got something in my shoe!" he exclaimed as he slipped off his gigantic shoe.

He slapped at the sole and shook the shoe out until the cubic corner piece dropped out and bounced to the ground.

"Well would you look at that!" Jeffrey exclaimed.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me," Ada groaned.

 **Votes:**

 **Jeffrey-** I'm going to vote for today….ADA! Ooh where did this vote come from...a GHOST maybe!? OOOGA BOOGA BOOGA BETTER LOOK OUT! THE GHOST IS GONNA GET YOU!

 **Ada-** Darren, nothing personal, strictly business. I need to move up on this team, and sadly that means you need to move on out.

 **Marky-** Darren, I think this is my best shot to get things swinging in my favor. No hard feelings dude!

 **Chloe-** Darren, it's only logical for me to get out you before you get out me! I didn't want things to end this way between us, but I know I burned our bridge and I can never repair that no matter what you may say.

 **Emily-** Soooo I think I'm just going to vote for Darren here. Chloe helped me out when I needed it and now I'm returning the favor.

 **Bailey-** After talking with everyone, I realize that our team doesn't have to vote Jeffrey to be united...we can already unite against Darren. Uh but sorry about this, hope you don't hate me too much.

 **Darren-** I'm voting for Seth. Sorry guy, we never really hit it off, and if you make merge, I don't think it's good for me or my friends.

 **Seth-** Drip, drip, drip, that is the sound of the rain coming down to wash out the name...Darren. May you find another path.

(Conclusion)

"Just like that, the new teams are back to war as quickly as they were before," Chris exclaimed. "Despite landing on a majority, Darren found luck was not on his side and he's met with a cruel fate. Will that team come to regret tossing him out?"

"And what the hell's gonna happen on those Devilish Demons?" Chef added. "Will Terra and Marlon come together? Is Rory gonna avoid being the target again? Is Mimi gonna snap and get Zach out if he takes one more photo?"

"Let's hope!" Chris exclaimed. "You can never have enough drama, not when it comes to...Total Drama: Legends vs Nobodies!"


	8. The Curse of the Blood Mirror

"Welcome back to Total Drama: Legends vs Nobodies!" said a seemingly empty room.

With a thud, Chris McClean fell from the ceiling.

"Don't mind me!" he said, pulling himself up. "I was just making sure the building was secure! You can never be too careful these days, you know. But the show must go on! Last time we saw the teams adjusting to the recent switchup. Things were tight in a 4-4 split on Devilish Demons, Terra and Marlon hit it off though, while Mimi and Zach…didn't quite get along so well. On the Ghastly Ghouls the original Nobodies had the numbers advantage, but the Legends weren't going to roll over easy. And with good reason since old wounds opened up and Chloe convinced the team to rally on her former ally, Darren."

The floor beneath Chris began to rattle and the host immediately recoiled.

"Stay back, spirits!" Chris exclaimed in panic as he grabbed a chair. "I'm armed!"

"Hold up, Chris!" Chef suddenly shouted as he emerged from a panel in the floor. "It's just me!"

"Oh, of course," Chris said in relief. "Basement is secure?"

"Nothin' is gettin' in through there," Chef said. "Unless they can walk through walls."

"Hm...we probably should have thought this through a little," Chris remarked.

"Probably," Chef agreed.

"Moving along though," Chris said. "The Ghastly Ghouls are coming off of a loss, but they managed to stay unanimous...for now. How long will that last is the real question, the chaos is just bubbling. And let's not forget about the standstill on the Devilish Demons. Will someone pull a scandalous flip? Well let's watch and see what happens!"

(Devilish Demons)

Terra woke and left the cabin to find that Michelle was already long since up, and seemed hard at work, searching tree by tree and gathering up fallen branches.

"Ah, seizing the day already, I see," Terra noted.

"The threat looms," Michelle replied solemnly. "My traps have held up so far, but last night there was most certainly something lurking...waiting for us to let our guard down. I need to fortify more. Need to be prepared."

"That is concerning to hear," Terra said, "But as always, it's a blessing to have you here to keep us safe. Maybe you could even-"

Michelle continued on with her work, without a second glance at Terra.

"Listen to me when I'm talking," Terra sighed in frustration.

"Don't worry about her," Marlon said as he approached Terra. "Michelle...gets focused on not much else can change that. I don't think she means to be rude, people just aren't exactly her strong suit."

"Hm, I gathered as much," Terra remarked. "And don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful to have a dedicated soul like her on our team, especially with this island being so very...dangerous in ways that shouldn't be possible. I just wish want to help, I wish she would give me that much."

"Hey, I've been trying to get that message across since the start," Marlon said. "She's a lone wolf type though. I've tried to pick up a few tricks where I can but uuh...not sure how much progress I'm making there."

"Any progress is good progress," Terra stated. "On that note though, I would like to talk about the future of this team."

"Oh...I hope it's a good future," Marlon said.

"The future is rarely good on its own, but with work it can be!" Terra stated. "We won the first challenge and I would like to keep that up. I think both of us can agree that despite coming from different starting locations we want what's best here and that's to keep up our strength. I think the smart move here is to bring together those that can keep this team afloat in the challenges."

"Well...that sounds like sound logic to me," Marlon remarked. "You can count me in!"

"Perfect!" Terra said. "If at all possible, I'd like to include Michelle as well. People may not be what she's good at, but she seems to have masters the physical part of challenges. Maybe we could grab Zach too? So far he hasn't had much trouble keeping up."

"Sounds fair," Marlon said with a nod. "Let's get a move on them."

Meanwhile, Sybil was once again spying on the two from the bushes.

"Ugh, look at them, Rory, they're at it again! Look at them, are you looking!?" Sybil grumbled as she grabbed Rory by the face and directed him to follow the pair's movement.

"Uuuh...yep, that's Terra and Marlon alright," Rory noted uncertainly.

"Once, now that's a coincidence, but twice!? Oh they're clearly scheming as we speak!" Sybil said.

"Well...are you sure?" Rory asked tentatively as Sybil dropped him on the ground.

"Sure? Sure! I'll give you sure, there's bad omens written all over the place if you just open your damn eyes!" Sybil snapped. "Look up in the sky, there's three ravens together, that's a bad omen! Look over here, this moss is shaped like a spider if you tilt your head to the left...bad omen! That tree is casting a shadow over that muddy puddle, you better believe that's a bad omen! Holy crapballs, Rory, three bad omens, how much more proof do you need!?"

"Okay, okay!" Rory exclaimed. "So what are we going to do then!?"

"We're going to need to be very sneaky," Sybil said. "Can you do that, Rory? Can you sneak!?"

"Uh...I think so!" Rory exclaimed. "Like this!?"

Rory began to tiptoe around the bush.

"I meant figuratively you helpless sack of crap!" Sybil said as she slapped her forehead in frustration.

"Oh...uh..." Rory said uncertainly before continuing to creep away.

"Hello friend," Grace stated as Rory ended up walking right into her.

"Oops!" Rory exclaimed as he jumped back.

"Ugh, it's you," Sybil groaned as Grace approached. "What do you want?"

"I do not want anything but to spend time with my friends," Grace said. "It is my understanding that sharing company is a bonding activity in itself that may sprout into further activities based on the spontaneous nature of said friendship."

"Okay...go find your friends then," Sybil said.

"I have," Grace stated while gesturing her hands towards the two.

"Oh that's very sweet of you," Rory exclaimed. "I didn't realize you considered us friends."

"Given the amount of time we have spent in each other's company, I believe mathematically it can be confirmed to be the case," Grace stated.

"Well uh….thanks? I appreciate it," Rory said awkwardly.

"Well I've got some bad news for you," Sybil said. "The only spontaneous activities in store for you here are one that will end badly, so you might as well move along."

"Aw that's too bad," Rory said sadly. "How do you know though?"

"Ooh, it's because she's the fortune teller," Grace stated. "We must take this very seriously."

" 'Fortune teller?' Please what am I, some birthday party parlor trick attraction!?" Sybil scoffed. "I am a prophet!"

"Wait, prophet? I thought you said you were a mystic," Rory said while scratching his head in confusion.

"No no, I'm quite certain the term she used was psychic," Grace stated. "Though perhaps that could be used as a qualifier to describe her abilities when-"

"Okay shut up both of you!" Sybil snapped. "I'm the soothsayer, and right now I'm soothsaying it's time for you to leave us alone!"

"Ooh that was clever," Grace remarked.

"Thank you, I just thought of it on the spot. But seriously leave us the hell alone!" Sybil said.

Grace skipped off in the other direction leaving the two alone again.

"Do you really think we need to chase her off like that?" Rory asked. "If Terra is being sketchy then uh...maybe it would be smarter to make some new friends."

"Maybe," Sybil replied, "but consider this counterpoint...she's really really annoying."

 **Confessional:**

 **Terra-** I hope all of you at home are able to take notes here. Let it be known that two people from different starting points can still come together and reach a compromise for the greater good. That is how we make a better world!

 **Rory-** Oh gosh I'm getting worried again, I was trying not to get worried but well it's happening! I haven't gotten any new alliance invites or anything, but Sybil doesn't really like Grace and uuuh well I haven't talked to anyone too much other than her. What am I supposed to do now!?

 **Grace-** Friendship sometimes takes persistence, however, I am very persistent, therefore I believe my new friends will recognize this and recognize my inherent loyalty and keep me safe. It is a good thing I have this social ability to maneuver myself through a potentially hazardous situation or else I may have fallen to danger and that would be quite unfortunate.

(Ghastly Ghouls)

Ada sat on a stump just short of the edge of the camp, intently making notes in a notepad while occasionally glancing up at her surroundings. Chloe approached from behind, coming up next to her.

"Something catch your attention?" Chloe asked.

"Just doing some reports on the fog," Ada said.

"Fog?" Chloe echoed.

"That is correct," Ada said. "I'm looking for weather patterns, places with high amount of fog, clouds, or storms tend to attract sources for legends and ghost tales, but it's usually perfectly natural and no more ominous than a nice Hawaiian resort. Of course there are fools who will claim that Hawaiian resorts are built on cursed lands too, so really there's no end to the nonsense."

"Well...good luck with that," Chloe said as she sat down next to the girl. "I just wanted to say that I appreciated your help last round. That vote went...well as smoothly as could be hoped with a wild clown on the loose."

"Yes, that Jeffrey certainly knows how to be a nuisance," Ada remarked. "But if anything I should be thanking you. I came in here without any friends on my side and I'm sure you could have easily thrown me away."

"I wouldn't do that to you," Chloe assured.

"I know, as evidenced by me still being here," Ada stated. "But it certainly was a less than ideal position for me to swap into and I'm glad we could turn things out is a unified direction."

"Of course, it really helps to have someone who can bring a logical touch to things," Chloe said. "Even some of my friends from before...well they're great, don't get me wrong, but they could be a little bit unreliable."

"Everyone is unreliable, you shouldn't have to put your faith in anyone but yourself," Ada remarked.

"Well that's great advice and exactly what I try to live by," Chloe said.

"But it's not always possible," Ada added. "Take this game for example. All of us are just numbers in an equation."

"Then let's set the equation in our favor," Chloe replied.

"Now you're getting it," Ada said while tapping her glasses. "Unfortunately we've got quite a few variables we need to remove."

"Let's see if we can put that decision off," Chloe said. "I'm already going two straight votes, I'd really rather not make it a streak of three."

"I wouldn't either, but things sadly rarely work out conveniently," Ada sighed. "And we'll need a plan. Now don't think you need to tiptoe around me. Marky and Seth have nothing with me and I will cut them loose if that's what it will take to keep things even. Though I will admit, I'd much rather never hear that Bozo's laugh again in my life too."

"I don't think that's an unpopular sentiment," Chloe agreed.

Meanwhile, Bailey was taking a leisurely stroll around the woods. He noticed a blur of color out of the corner of his eye and was suddenly approached by a fast oncoming Emily.

"BAILEY! Best friend!" Emily squealed as she threw her arms around his shoulders. "There you are!"

"Uh yep, it's me," Bailey replied, patting Emily on the back.

"What are you doing out here in the big scary woods!?" Emily asked.

"Oh well, Rojo was feeling a little bit antsy, I thought a nice nature walk might help him calm down," Bailey said. "Isn't that right, Rojo? You're feeling better now."

"Awwww, that's so sweet of you!" Emily exclaimed. "See, Bailey, this is why I trust you more than anyone out here! Because you care! You care about everyone and everything and I just think that's beautiful!"

"Uh thank you…" Bailey replied. "Just uh...you know trying to follow the path of love."

"That's super, that is so super!" Emily said. "And as my most trusted person in the game, I know you care about my safety, about BOTH our safety! So we'll need a plan to make sure things don't blow up on us! By the way, it was SO SMART of you to settle on getting rid of Darren, that was exactly what I was thinking, but like I didn't even know it until you made it clear to me. But now we have to do it again, and I'm getting scared again. Hold me, Bailey, it'll be okay right!?"

"Oh...hey, just breathe," Bailey said while Emily leaned against him in distress. "We'll get through this."

"We will! I just know it!" Emily exclaimed. "But how, Bailey, oh hoooow? When things could come crashing down so easily. What if the three Legends here team up against us? What if they try to pull in Jeffrey because he was originally on their team for like five minutes? Oh Bailey...what do we do then!? What do we do!?"

"We'll uh...well, we'll figure it out as it goes," Bailey said. "It's like the Princess says, there's not one answer to all of life's problems, but with the right attitude, the solution will become clear."

"That is soo profound, so deep, Bailey I am feeling so much better already, thank you so much!" Emily exclaimed. "But who are we going to vote out!? It has to be one of Legends right? I mean if we're going to stay safe, we can't give them too much power. I know Chloe really likes Ada, and you know what, I think that's just super because like Chloe is such a nice smart caring person and so like of course she's going to open her heart, and like I'm sure Ada is great too, but what if she's not!? You know just what if!?"

"We probably shouldn't try to piss off Chloe," Bailey said. "She's...well you saw how she got with Darren. She was set on taking him out."

"That is soooo true," Emily exclaimed while gripping Bailey's arm. "Chloe is our friend and we have to trust her. Of course I trust YOU the most, but together? Together there's nothing stopping us from trusting Chloe. So if not Ada, it has to be one of the boys, right?"

"I suppose that's true," Bailey said. "Which is a shame cause they seem like pretty nice guys too. Gee this whole team is actually pretty great which makes this whole thing tough."

"BAILEY! Shut up!" Emily squealed while clamping her hand over Bailey's mouth.

Bailey gave a confused and shocked noise muffled from her hand. Emily replied by vigorously pointing with her eyes to Marky who was walking a short distance away. Emily let go of Bailey and waved eagerly to Marky.

"Hiii Marky! There's no need for you to stand so far away!" Emily exclaimed. "This isn't some private clique where you have to keep a ten foot radius distance at all times. That would be like SO rude! This isn't like some high school drama where the mean kids are like gossiping about you, we totally weren't gossiping about you, in fact I didn't even mention your name once!? Bailey, did I mention Marky's name? Okay no never, I must have said uuuuh...marked, like see these trees? They're kind of marked with uuuh….moss? And that's like so fascinating to me? I just looove nature like that!"

"Uh...okay," Marky said as he walked over. "I wasn't trying to eavesdrop on you guys though. I was just walking by, didn't even notice you at first."

"You don't have to lie!" Emily exclaimed. "I know how it is, two sides, hard to know who to trust! But for real, there are no sides here, I don't believe in that. We're all just one big family of friends, and the trust will come naturally, right Bailey?"

"Uh...yes?" Bailey replied.

"See!? Even Bailey agrees and like he is all about this whole love and friendship mantra, and now I am too! See it's spreading just like love should!" Emily said.

"Well thanks, but I wasn't lying," Marky said. "I was for real just out here to get some air for myself and didn't expect to run into you guys.

"Okay fine, lie, I don't care!" Emily said never breaking her gigantic smile. "It doesn't bother me, cause you know what, in your shoes, I would do the exact same thing!"

"Uh...I can leave, if I'm interrupting," Marky said, backing up.

"Interrupting what!? My incredibly dorky rants about moss formation!" Emily laughs obnoxiously. "I'm sure Bailey would welcome the interruption, isn't that right, Bailey!?"

"Oh well...I guess-" Bailey stammered, struggling to even keep up.

"Yeah he's just being polite, feel free to stay!" Emily said.

"Okay," Marky replied meekly.

"But no pressure at all!" Emily said. "Here you are, trying to get some time to yourself and I just butt in with my loud voice! No pressure at all, do whatever you want, Marky, I don't control you!"

"I'll just go then," Marky said.

"Bye then!" Emily said with a bright smile and wave, before turning to Bailey. "I think that went well, he doesn't suspect a thing!"

Marky just paced away from the two, muttering to himself, "Well that was strange."

"Indeed," agreed a talking log.

"What the?" Marky gasped as he bent over.

He found Seth sprawled out inside the hollow cavity of the log.

"Oh, Seth," Marky remarked. "What are you doing in there?"

"I befriended a slug...he showed me his home," Seth said. "I thought we could get acquainted...it's cozier in here than you might guess. I can see why he enjoys this sweet hideaway."

"Well you're getting filthy," Marky pointed out.

'What is filth, but product of our loving mother earth?" Seth asked, crawling out. "Also, Emily and Bailey are targeting the two of us."

"Ugh, for real!?" Marky groaned.

"I was making my way through the ferns when they decided to share plans," Seth said. "Emily seems worried...I think she wants us gone. Shame, there's still so much left of this island I wish to uncover."

"Well we're not just rolling over and letting her get away with that!" Marky said.

"I wouldn't imagine we would," Seth said as flipped a fallen leaf between his fingers. "But things are bound to get gruesome regardless of outcome. Let us prepare ourselves for the worst."

"Believe me, I'm always ready for the worst, and I say we meet it head on," Marky said.

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** Last round I decided to cut ties with Darren altogether and send him out. I think it was the right decision since he was never going to fully trust me again, but now I need to follow through. This decision will have consequences so to prepare for that backlash I need to secure an unbreakable trust with Ada so that I have a clear inroad with the Legends that I haven't met yet.

 **Emily-** Oh my gosh, I am like a MESS right now! Last round, it seemed pretty clear that everyone was just done with Darren, and that was sweet and dandy for me since I know he was tight with Gloria and um...yeah that's some pretty bad taste. Everyone else though is still my best friend ever, or at least that's what I have them all believing, which means I simply cannot afford to let these legends take power. We need to stick together for friendship's sake and make sure one of them leaves next.

 **Marky-** I was feeling sort of okay with the way things were going last round. I knew I wasn't going to suddenly be on top of the world, but I thought I might have a bit more room to breathe. It seems like I'm facing some trouble again, and you know what? Good, because trouble is my speciality and I will have fun turning this around on the others.

(Devilish Demons)

Marlon and Terra moved through the thicker section of woods, in search of Michelle.

"There she is," Terra noted as she pointed to Michelle crouched in a tree as if ready to pounce.

"Michelle!" Marlon called.

"You shouldn't be here," Michelle said. "The shadows are restless, I must be ready to strike, my attention cannot be split."

"Too bad! We don't always get what we want in this world!" Terra exclaimed.

"Uh, I think she means this will just take a minute," Marlon said.

"A minute is all it takes to end your life," Michelle replied.

"Well I like to live life on the edge, so deal with it!" Terra said. "We want to align, we think it could be smart to unite th-"

"Yes," Michelle agreed bluntly.

"You didn't even let me finish," Terra pouted.

"Yes, I'm in the alliance, now go away," Michelle grunted.

"I think we should take it," Marlon said to Terra. "That actually went better than I expected."

The two moved back the way they had come and left Michelle to her post.

"Well, that's one down," Terra said. "We just need to secure Zach."

"Are you sure you want to include him?" Marlon asked. "He seems like...well trouble."

"Better to have him on our side than against us," Terra said. "Since let's be real, we can't exactly afford to vote him off when we've got people like Grace, Rory, and Sybil in the challenges."

"That is a valid point," Marlon said.

"That's how you turn a problem around!" Terra said. "You don't always have to destroy it, sometimes you just need to redirect the focus!"

"Well now's our chance since looks like that's him there," Marlon noted as they neared Zach.

"Ah, to what do I owe this honor?" Zach asked as Terra and Marlon walked up to him.'

"We were hoping to make a proposition," Marlon said.

"Interesting," Zach replied.

"Look, we've got an opportunity here to move forward," Terra said. "We could go to war and make this a sides situation and leave us divided by merge, or we could put differences aside, make compromises and come into the merge as one strong force. We were thinking combining us you and Michelle for our best shot."

"Wow, that's quite the big idea that you decided to bring together without ever mention to me," Zach exclaimed.

"I'm mentioning it now, aren't I? I didn't see you jumping to the wheel to make something happen, so I took directive!" Terra exclaimed. "Are you in or not!?"

"How could I say no to such a bold team up?" Zach replied with a sly smile. "If it gets us ahead then by all means let's make it happen!"

"Glad to have you on board," Marlon said. "This will take a bit of trust from all sides, but overall I think it will pay off."

"I'm sure it will," Zach said. "None of us want to blow up the game so soon, so let's do this."

As soon as Marlon and Terra had turned away though, Zach sprinted in the opposite direction until he found Sybil sitting behind the cabin.

"I think we may have a situation," Zach remarked.

"Gaaaaah...there's always a situation," Sybil groaned. "Can't we just let it blow over?"

"Well, for some reason Terra is making deals with Marlon and Michelle...and dragged me into it," Zach said. "This is bad, would she actually try to compromise our numbers? Or worse, what if this gets out to Rory and gives him reason to flip on us?"

"Uuuuugh...can people not go FIVE FREAKING MINUTES without turning into goddamn morons?" Sybil ragged as she stood up. "Well we better get to fixing this crapfest."

"Right," Zach said. "Let's talk to Terra, see if we can clear this up a bit and get her to stop putting us at risk."

The two got up and walked back around the cabin to find Terra again. Zach spotted her with Marlon and gestured to Sybil to hold back and then moved up to approach.

"Zach?" Terra asked as the boy came up to her again. "What is it?"

"I was hoping we could talk in private," Zach said, trying to keep his voice low as he tugged Terra by the arm.

Terra pulled her arm away, but followed Zach anyways. As soon as they rounded the bend, though, Terra found Sybil immediately in her face.

"So I hear you're going around making deals, eh? Care to explain!?" Sybil confronted.

"What the hell, you told her!?" Terra snapped at Zach.

"Look, look, look, I don't care okay, I don't give a flying fiery crapball what you're saying," Sybil said. "You can throw me under the bus, make deals, say whatever comes into that skull of yours, but when it comes to vote we just need to make sure one of the Legends leaves."

"I'm not trying to screw you over here, Terra," Zach said. "But giving people like Marlon that much information and influence...it could very easily backfire on us."

"It's called a calculated risk," Terra retorted.

"It's called being careless!" Sybil shot back. "Look, you want to think you're soo goddamn special and progressive and going to create some alliance of strong people and create some sappy happy utopia where you can hold hands and all be friends, but let's be real, a vote like that is going to end with us losing Rory. And yes, Rory may be more useless than a pimple on your armpit, BUT he's loyal to both of us, so why would we just give that up?"

"Just trust that I know what I'm doing," Terra said.

"Honestly, I really can't do that right now," Sybil sighed.

 **Confessional:**

 **Terra-** Do I want to lose Rory? No, I think he's meek and easy to keep on my side, but sometimes you have to make sacrifice for the greater good. Too many people refuse to look to the future, but me!? I can see the merge we're heading to and I know the only way we're going to survive that is with a little give and take. I just wish Zach hadn't sold me out in an instant, he's the one who's going to create problems not me!

 **Zach-** I knew Terra and Marlon were getting chummy, but this cannot be allowed to continue. We are currently dead even on this team, which means if we give any room at all, that means we're completely reliant on Marlon and his friends deciding to play on the honor system and uuuh...the only people who play like that are losers, so no thanks.

 **Sybil-** There are days when I just look up at the great higher unknown up there and have to ask...why...why is this world so filled with idiots? Do I love the people I got swapped with? Well no, but I've got the brains to say that if we stick together we're going to be better off. But Terra? She just wants to put that all at risk? After every single thing I did for her! UGH!

(Ghastly Ghouls)

Emily skipped back to the campsite until she spotted Chloe and gracefully made her way towards her.

"Hellooooo best friend in the entire world!" Emily exclaimed with a twirl. "How are you on this glorious morning?"

"I'm...fine," Chloe said. "Where were you?"

"Me!? Oh nothing at all you have to worry about," Emily said. "I just saw you with your other new best friend, and thought to myself, hey Chloe and I are already as tight as can be, I'm better off not making anyone feel like a third wheel."

"Well it might be a good idea for you to try to build a solid connection to Ada too," Chloe suggested. "I think we're going to need her. I want to trust Bailey but...well I still can't ever be sure with him."

"Hey. hey. Chloe, you don't ever have to worry," Emily said passionately. "Because you've got me, and you can count on me. You know that I am a true friend because I appreciate the little things. Like for instance, that you always have a bowl of Froot Loops before facing the day."

"Um...I've never said that," Chloe remarked.

"And yet as your friend I still already know," Emily said while putting a hand to her heart. "Because I appreciate the little things."

"My favorite breakfast is oatmeal and brown sugar," Chloe pointed out.

Emily was silent for a minute as she slowly put her hand on Chloe's before adding, "I appreciate...the little things."

Closer to the cabin, Marky and Seth were walking back to the main site together.

"Alright," Marky said as they walked together, "given what we know we're going to need a change in approach here."

"When Autumns comes around and the fruits shrivel up, all that remains is all you may choose from," Seth remarked.

"Uh...right," replied Marky. "If the girls are really going to band up against us then...regrettably that means our only option is...Jeffrey…"

Seth nodded.

"Ugh," Marky groaned. "Let's see if we can find him."

The two entered the cabin together.

"Jeffrey!" Marky called. "You in here?"

"HELLO!" Jeffrey exclaimed boisterously from behind the two boys. "Looking for me!? JUST KIDDING! I ALREADY KNOW YOU WERE! SINCE WHY ELSE WOULD YOU BE CALLING MY NAME!? WHOOOOO HAAA HEE HEE HEH HEEE HIII! It's not like...it's not like there's some other...someone else named JEFFREY IS THERE?! HYUAH HO HO HO HO HO OOOOOH WHAP WHAP WHAP! JEFFREY NUMBER TWO ARE YOU IN HERE!? HELLOOOOOOO!"

Marky trembled with frustration as Jeffrey jostled him aggressively. Seth put his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Breathe," Seth instructed.

'Jeffrey, glad to see you...haven't changed a bit," Marky said very meticulously.

"I would be I left my other set of pants at home...WHOOOOA HOA HOA HOA UUUUH HEEE HEEE HEEE EEEEEUGH YECK YECK YECK OTHER SET OF PANTS! HAAAA HI HI HI TO CHANGE INTO RIGHT!?" Jeffrey cackled while dancing circles around Marky.

"Hilarious," Marky said through clenched teeth. "So anyways, I was just thinkin-"

"WELL GOOD!" Jeffrey said while slapping Marky on the back and nearly knocking him to the floor. "IF YOU WEREN'T THINKING...WE JUST MIGHT HAVE TO PUT YOU IN THE WHITE HOUSE! AAAAAAAH AAAAAAAAH AAAAAAH HEHEHEHEHEHE YEEAAAAH!"

"Canada doesn't even have a white house!" Marky pointed out.

"Sure it does, there's five on my street back home," Jeffrey replied. "GET IT!? WHITE HOUSE!? LIKE AS IN PAINTED WHITE!? HAH AHA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAHA HAAHAH HAAH AH HAH AH AHAH AH AH AHAH HAH AHAH AH AH!"

Marky gave a helpless look of utter fury towards Seth, silently begging him to take over.

"Perhaps we can continue this conversation over a nice soothing drink of natural tea," Seth offered.

"They have tea out here?" Marky asked.

"Natural tea...by which I mean pooled river water and pine," Seth stated.

"Sounds classy, let me just make sure I'm looking my best!" Jeffrey said as he turned to face a mirror and adjusted his bowtie.

In a sudden flash, the mirror turned a dark crimson, as if coated with freshly spilled blood. Then shattered and the glass shards fell to the ground.

"AIYEEEEEEEE!" Jeffrey screamed. "Did you just...that just...the thing just...EVIL!"

"Uh...you broke the mirror?" Marky asked.

"I DIDN'T DO IT!" Jeffrey shouted directly in Marky's face. "IT JUST HAPPENED ON ITS OWN….Don't you see what this means...DON'T YOU SEE WHAT THIS MEANS!? It's a curse. I'M CURSED! NOOOO!"

"Is this all a setup for one of your horrible jokes?" Marky asked skeptically. "Cause if it is, can we skip to the punchline?"

"DO I LOOK LIKE SOMEONE WHO WOULD JOKE ABOUT THIS!?" Jeffrey screamed while lifting Marky up and shaking him.

"Well actually...you look exactly like that," Marky replied.

"Oh true...HEEEEE HEEE HEE HEEY!" Jeffrey laughed as he dropped Marky on the floor and punched him on the head in wild enthusiasm. "But no this is 100% serious, I'm GOING TO DIE!"

"Perhaps we should consult with an expert," Seth suggested.

"An expert!? WHERE are we ever going to find an EXPERT ON THE SUPERNATURAL OUT HERE!?" Jeffrey exclaimed.

The three were awkwardly silent for a bit.

"Huh, strange, that usually is the trigger phrase for a humorous scene shift," Jeffrey remarked.

"So uh...I was referring to Ada," Seth said.

"I guess we'll have to actually walk to see her then," Jeffrey sighed.

One not so humorous scene shift later, the three boys had met up with Ada outside the cabin.

"Hm, well many traditions connect mirrors to bad luck," said Ada thoughtfully while perusing her notes. "The addition of blood though? Hm, well that can only mean certain death…"

"CERTAIN DEATH!?" Jeffrey gasped as he gripped Ada by the shoulders. "Oh why did it have to be certain!? I mean uncertain death, that's fine, there's a chance to survive, but CERTAIN DEATH!? I'M DOOMED!"

"Just relax," Ada grunted, "It-"

"HOW CAN I RELAX, YOU ABSOLUTE NINCOMPOOP!?" Jeffrey screamed. "YOU JUST TOLD ME I'M GOING TO DIEEEEEE!"

"BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT!" Ada snapped as she shoved Jeffrey back. "That is a LEGEND! It's not real! The mirror was probably old and broke on its own so don't worry!"

"And the blood!?" Jeffrey exclaimed.

"Obviously this place is falling apart, it was probably some paint or rust, I don't know!" Ada scoffed.

"Hmmm….but if it were real...what would be the cure?" Jeffrey asked.

Ada glared at Jeffrey for a few seconds.

"Most curses can be-theoretically-undone by cleansing through blessed water," Ada stated. "But of course that is also simply mythology and you won't-"

"BLESSED WATER GOT IT OKAY THANK YOU!" Jeffrey exclaimed as he dashed off.

"Well that went well," Marky remarked sarcastically to Seth.

 **Confessional:**

 **Emily-** If things don't work out with me and Bailey then I really really need Chloe to know that I see her as my best friend and she should absolutely see me the same way. I know she's getting close with Ada but like...she still needs to be closer to me!

 **Marky-** Things just seem to keep getting worse and worse. I don't trust the girls...and Jeffrey is a wildcard. He seems to have no intention of changing that status either. The fact that I'm going to need him is concerning to say the least.

 **Jeffrey-** CERTAIN DEATH!? I can't...I can't DIE! I have too much life left to live, I have too many laughs to laugh. Ha….(coughs) No…...NOOOOOOOOO!

(Later)

Both teams had been given directions through the woods and soon converged. As the two groups gradually blended together and got to take a look at each other, Zach seemed to be analyzing the Ghouls.

He pulled in next to Sybil and whispered, "Darren got voted out. How did that even happen?"

"Idiots, obviously," Sybil grunted.

"We need to talk to the original Nobodies," Zach said. "If they're shattering when they have the numbers, then that is going to be one big step back for all of us."

"You can if you want, managing this team is a enough of a goddamn mess for me," Sybil groaned in reply.

The two teams arrived at the cusp of an expansive bog. Chris McClean and Chef arrived on a small raft drifting along the mud.

"Welcome, Devilish Demons and Ghastly Ghouls!" The host exclaimed. "Legend has it that this swamp was once an ancient city, but the earth swallowed it up, leaving nothing but mud and ruins. Your task is very simple this round, all you need to do is travel the bog and have one of your team members reach these ruins where Chef and I will be waiting to proclaim the winners."

Ada opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by Marky interrupting, "Let me guess, you're going to tell us all about how this city doesn't even exist."

"Actually," Ada said, "The Sunken City is a legend with some factual backing, even though it's actual has been a mystery to scientists. I'm quite skeptical that Mr. McClean just happened to have this elusive info, but it's still quite possible."

"So we're searching for a city that might not even exist?" Rory asked. "Er...what if it uh...doesn't?"

"Then that's your problem, not mine!" Chris said, already rowing his raft away. "Best of luck, may the fastest team win!"

 **Confessional:**

 **Zach-** When we split teams, the Nobodies had a numbers advantage, the other team was 5-3 and should have been an easy case of picking off the three Legends. But that didn't happen and now I've lost one of my original allies. I don't know what's going on at that team, but it's just even more imperative that my own team stays under control.

 **Ada-** While the majority of my work comes down to debunking ludicrous theories, there are rare occasions where I can find some truth in the fantasy. So long as there is concrete proof I have no problem admitting I am wrong, it's only when people try to invent proof out of speculation that I get mad.

 **Rory-** I um...uh, don't really like this challenge. Wandering around in a murky swamp, looking for something that might not even exist!? What if we slip and fall and get sucked into the mud too and drown!? Oh dear...this isn't going to end well…

(Ghastly Ghouls)

The team trudged through mud as they explored the misty terrain. Jeffrey crouched down, as if he were examining the ground.

"What are you doing?" Ada asked.

"Aha, perfect!" Jeffrey exclaimed as he leapt up to face her, revealing he had taken off his boots and used them to scoop up some of the water from the ground. "Which one of these would you say looks holier. If you were to call one of them holy water, which would be the closer candidate?"

Ada gave a glazed look of annoyance.

"Work with me here, this is my life we're talking about!" Jeffrey begged.

"Neither," Ada stated. "Holy water needs to be blessed by a truly holy man...or woman! I'm working on getting the texts to be properly translated to be gender inclusive."

"Okay, okay, not a problem!" Jeffrey said. "Is anyone here a priest or a saint or something!? Anyone at all!? What about you!?"

Jeffrey eyed Marky.

"Most definitely not," Marky replied.

"There is no need for that," Seth stated softly. "All water is blessed, for it is a gift from our sacred mother earth."

"Hm...well I'm getting conflicting reports here," Jeffrey said. "I'm gonna need a third party...And I'm not talking about a birthday party, OOOOH HAA HA HA HA HA HA WHOO WHO HO HO HOJ HO! Although come to think of it, I could sure go for one of those too...HAPPY BIRTHDAY ME HEEE HEE HEE HEY HEY HEY HYE HEH HE HE HE! OH NO! I'm not going to make it to my next birthday party!? NO! NOOOOOOOO!"

The rest of the surrounding team glanced at each other awkwardly as Jeffrey dropped to his knees.

"What if...the power to bless the water was inside your heart all along?" Bailey suggested. "You just have to believe!"

"All of this is pointless, because curses aren't real and nothing is going to happen," Ada insisted.

"I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE, YOU PEOPLE ARE TEARING ME APART!" Jeffrey sobbed as he took off running.

He didn't get far, in his lack of shoes, and ended up tripping and falling face first into the mud. The group gasped as he began to sink beneath the surface.

"Hang on, buddy!" Bailey exclaimed. "Gentle Spring will save you!"

Bailey offered his plush pony for Jeffrey to hold onto. Unfortunately, Jeffrey ended up dragging Bailey down with him. Bailey stumbled, and ended up flailing his elbow into Ada's ribs who was also approaching to help. Ada fell backwards and colliding with Seth, knocking the both of them into the mud as well. Soon all four were submerged, leaving Marky standing alone.

"Well...okay then," he remarked to himself with a shrug.

Suddenly, a hideous blob of mud emerged from the ground.

"MARKY!" Jeffrey moaned. "SAVE ME!"

Jeffrey slammed into Marky, dragging both of them back into the mud. Ahead of the group, Chloe was still marching through the fog undeterred.

"Stay close, guys, we don't want to get lost out here," she said, before turning back and seeing herself alone. "Guys? Well great...guess I'm alone then…"

'You still got meeeeee!" Emily exclaimed as she emerged through the mist. "Two best friends, just meant to be together against the world!"

"Great," Chloe sighed.

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** Well this team hasn't exactly been inspiring much hope. The challenge just started and they're already scattered. Not a great sign for things to come.

 **Emily-** This is just working out perfectly! Chloe is stuck with me and she'll see that unlike all the others, I'll never leave her side. I am nothing but reliable and dependable. Sure we might be already off on a losing streak, but who cares so long as people like me!?

 **Seth-** Such turmoil going on, within this team, within our hearts, within this swamp. We'll need to gather our spirits if we are to survive the brewing storms.

(Devilish Demons)

The team had gathered together in a different section of the swamp to discuss their next move.

"Alright, everyone," Terra said, "I think we ought to-"

Without waiting for her to finish, Michelle marched through the mud and left the group behind.

"Well okay then," Terra grunted.

"If you don't mind, I've actually got some thoughts of my own," Zach interjected. "I think that we need to split up. Get a crew together to try to follow the other team, make sure they don't find anything without us."

"Great plan, let's do it," Sybil said instantly. "I will be on the espionage team with these two."

Sybil grabbed both Rory and Grace and pulled them altogether.

"I find this inclusion to be very rewarding and I hope to express that you have my gratitude-" Grace exclaimed.

"Yeah yeah don't make me regret it," Sybil said.

"And I guess the rest of us will be searching this swamp for this sunken city," Marlon stated, looking out at the misty terrain. "Wow, looks like a lot of ground to cover."

"Then we better stop wasting time and get to it!" Terra exclaimed.

The group of Terra, Marlon, Zach, and Mimi stepped out and into the murky ground, the mud squishing beneath their feet. Terra marched with determination, keeping her eyes focused and examining all directions. As they fanned out, Mimi noticed Zach trying to inch closer to her. She increased her pace to try to keep distance between them. She noticed Zach matching her pace though which frustrated her further. Glancing back at him, she ended up missing a root protruding from the mud and tripped over it, tumbling through the filth as she rolled. Zach rushed to catch up with her and help her out. Mimi pulled away.

"Better watch your step," Zach cautioned uselessly.

"Oh you're probably loving the chance to get some dirt coated photo for your collection," Mimi scoffed.

"Never!" Zach exclaimed.

Mimi raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe a bit," Zach admitted. "But I can care too!"

"I don't believe it," Mimi said, trying to make her away from Zach.

"Hey, hey, don't be like that," Zach said, catching up to walk side by side with Mimi. "Look, look, I see why you might find me a little offputting."

"A little?" Mimi retorted.

"Or a lot," Zach said, "but that doesn't mean I don't want to look out for you too. Without your well-being, I'd be out of the job."

"Well that's all fine and good for you, but what makes you think I even need the help?" Mimi asked.

"I'm glad you asked, since I happen to have some information you might find very interesting," Zach said.

"Yes?" Mimi inquired.

"Well I don't know, you seem to think you don't need my help," Zach replied smugly.

"Okay," Mimi said as she took off again.

"Wait, wait!" Zach called, chasing after her. "Okay you've made your point. But you should know that you can't trust Terra and Marlon. They're making deals and leaving you out."

"Okay," Mimi said, not slowing down.

"That's it?" Zach asked. "Did you hear what I said?"

"I heard you, I just don't believe you," Mimi replied. "I'm not falling for your tricks."

Zach furrowed his brow in frustration.

 **Confessional:**

 **Zach-** For things to work out for me, I need to convince Mimi that she's not as secure as she thinks. And I don't even need to bend the truth for this...but that doesn't make it any easier to convince her.

 **Sybil-** The split up plan was obviously a load of garbage, but really what we need is to find a way to get Grace and Mimi alone to start planting seeds in their heads that their original team will leave them behind. We have the ammo we need, now we just need the right chance to use it.

 **Mimi-** I'm not buying this act from Zach. I know how he works, he's a vulture and if he doesn't have any drama to feed on then he'll try to make his own. I may be an actress but this is one role I'm not going to play!

(Ghastly Ghouls)

The group of Jeffrey, Seth, Marky, Ada, and Bailey sank through the mud and ended up sliding out into an underground cavern, landing in a dank pool of water. Jeffrey continued to scream all the way down as he flopped into the small body of water.

"NOOOOOO! I'M DEAD! I DIED! THIS IS THE END!" he sobbed, "I'M DEEEEEAAAAADDD!"

Ada flicked his bulbous nose in frustration.

"You are not dead!" she insisted. "None of us are."

"Physically we may not be...spiritually, we have endured great trauma," Seth added.

"But we're not dead," Ada repeated.

"Maybe not, but we are a mess," Marky remarked, gesturing to the mud caked all over his face and body.

The others glanced down to see that had been similarly marred in filth.

"We'll survive," Ada stated.

"Will we!? WILL WE!?" Jeffrey shrieked, dropping to his knees and gripping at Ada's arms. "I'm still feeling very cursed!"

"Well that's your problem," Ada stated. "For the rest of us, we ought to be looking for a way to get back to the surface. It doesn't look like we're getting back out the way we came in."

'"Sounds like an adventure to me!" Bailey exclaimed.

The group got up and found a narrow tunnel in the damp soil surrounding them. They filed one after another, sticking close as they made their way through the passage.

"This is so exciting!" Bailey exclaimed. "Rojo can barely keep his tail still."

"I wonder what made these tunnels," Marky pondered.

"Maybe it was supposed to be a secret passage!" Bailey suggested.

"I highly doubt it was man-made," Ada remarked. "My guess would be that heavy rainfall on the uneven terrain carved out this passage before being buried."

Seth brushed his hand along the soft earth walls.

"Hm, yes...they carry a vivid story, though very delicate," Seth noted. "For our own safety it would be best to avoid any loud noises."

"CAN DO!" Jeffrey exclaimed. "But just to clarify, we're exempt if I see something really really freaky, right?"

"Like what?" Seth asked.

"A giant mutant spider!" Bailey suggested.

"A GIANT MUTANT SPIDER!?" Jeffrey screamed. "GAAAAAAIEEEEEEEYYYYEEEE WE'RE GONNA DIEEEEEEE!"

Suddenly a tremor roared through the walls as clumps of dirt began to rain down on them.

"Well we certainly are now," Marky sighed.

"RUN!" Ada ordered.

The group of five bolted as fast as they could as the passage caved in around them. They managed to stay just one step ahead of the collapsing mounds of dirt. However, their path was cut short as they reached a massive drop in front of them. Marky slid right over the edge. Ada reached out to grab him but ended up falling over the edge as well. Ada clamped her left hand onto Seth's leg, while Marky managed to reach her right hand. Bailey tumbled over the edge, passing both of them but ended up with his foot hanging against Marky's shoulder, leaving him dangling upside down. Jeffrey floated above all of them, suspended by a series of balloons that seemed to emerge from the back of his overalls. The one bit of good fortune was that the shaking seemed to have stopped. However the group had nowhere left to go.

"Well that was close!" Jeffrey exclaimed.

"It is incredibly tempting to just let go right now and kill us all," Ada groaned.

 **Confessional:**

 **Ada-** Normally I would love to take the time to properly examine such a curious phenomenon, but alas I have to put my research aside for the sake of getting this team through this challenge. I will be making a note of it though!

 **Seth-** There is a place for all things in nature. We know now that fragile underground tunnels is not where Jeffrey belongs.

 **Jeffrey-** There's only one explanation for that tunnel coming crashing down right at that moment. THE CURSE!

(Devilish Demons)

Sybil, Rory, and Grace had spotted the silhouettes of Emily and Chloe, obscured by the mist but still visible. The trio followed after them. Rory was having trouble though, stumbling and slipping in each particularly damp portion in the mud.

"What are you doing!?" Sybil said in a hushed but clearly angry voice.

"Uh...sneaking?" Rory offered helplessly.

"Do you want them to know we're onto them!?" Sybil snapped. "No! They'll try to lose us if they know they're being tailed."

"Er right...sorry," Rory said.

The boy tried to take another step, but his leg sank into a deceptively deep puddle of mud. When he pulled it out, it revealed several large leeches clinging to his pant leg.

"Clearly you're in need of some crash course lessons on the art of grace and finesse," Sybil stated. "Watch and learn."

Sybil made a swift broad stride. As she did though, a thorn caught a piece of her pants, causing her to suddenly snap backwards and roll to the ground noisily.

"Um...that wasn't what was supposed to happen, right?" Rory asked.

"Obviously not, you sniveling simian!" Sybil snapped.

"Hey uh...what happened to Grace?" Rory asked.

"What do you mean? She's right...what the crud!?" Sybil snapped. "Where'd she go!?"

In fact, Grace continued to follow after Emily and Chloe but had managed to close the gap significantly so that she could overhear their conversation.

"You know, I really just love this, this is just such an us moment, you know!?" Emily recounted.

"I don't think I do," Chloe said uncertainly.

"Classic Chloe Emily memory going on here, just the two of us against the world," Emily said.

"It's a challenge," Chloe pointed out. "It's always us vs the other team."

"And we're going to face it together," Emily stated with a broad beam.

"Yes...that's typically how teamwork functions," Chloe replied with continued awkward confusion.

Emily just nodded repeatedly with the lack of anything further to add. She did end up noticing Grace following closely behind them though.

"Oh hey, look who it is!" Emily exclaimed.

"Hello," Grace greeted upon being discovered.

"What are you doing here?" Chloe asked.

"I am hoping to perfect the art of misdirection," Grace stated. "By engaging in casual conversation, I may keep up surveillance without negative unwanted scrutiny. I believe I may still need to work to attain perfection at this form of subtlety, however."

"So, you're spying on us then?" Chloe asked.

"Best friend, allow me to handle this," Emily said as she walked up to Grace. "Love that strategy, girl, really great job at coming up with that, you just keep doing you! But uh, go away!"

Emily turned Grace around and pointed her in the opposite direction until she walked back.

"Nice girl, really sweet," Emily remarked to Chloe. "But obviously not fit for the best friend circle."

 **Confessional:**

 **Grace-** Hm, clearly I have miscalculated my abilities at avoiding detection. This will be a good learning experience. Unfortunately, I do not believe the rest of my team will be as interested in my strides of self improvement, as that will not contribute to the current objective of winning the challenge. Despite facing an obstruction here, I shall need to brainstorms methods of overcoming so as to maintain a universal appreciate for my worth as a team player.

 **Chloe-** Don't get me wrong, all things considered Emily's been loyal and dependable...just really really annoyingly clingy. It's weird.

 **Rory-** (inspecting pink spots on leg) I think I lost a lot of blood (faints).

(Devilish Demons)

Zach continue to walk by Mimi, despite her efforts to keep her distance from him.

"Come on, you know you're not going to shake me that easy," Zach said. "I could do this all day."

"Good," Mimi stated. "You'll need to."

"Look, what makes you so sure that I'm the one lying to you here?" Zach asked.

"Because I don't trust you," Mimi said.

"Fair," Zach replied. "Sure, I'm scum, I know it, but you know what? At least I don't keep it any secret, what you see is what you get. No surprises here, just predictably scum. But let me ask you this, why would I need to come to you with this if it wasn't true? I've got my own team to work with, and if I wanted I could be sucking up to Marlon and Michelle for my own safety. But instead, I'm risking their wrath by selling all this to you, because I don't want to see you at risk. Mimi Evertide leaves premerge on Total Drama? That's not a story I want to see on the headline, you deserve better than that!"

Mimi seemed to be considering what she was hearing and processing all the information.

As the two came up to a gurgling stream of mossy brown water, Zach stopped Mimi and stated, "Allow me to prove that I can be a gentleman."

Zach stepped over the stream and then offered his hand to Mimi. As he did, a large colorful fish leapt out of the water and bit into his arm.

"Ow.." Zach groaned, the fish refusing to release its jaw.

"Well, I'll admit, that does make me feel a little better," Mimi remarked.

In another section of the swamp, Terra and Marlon were continuing to search.

"How can you hide a whole city?" Marlon exclaimed.

"Well it's got to be somewhere," Terra said. "There's just a whole lot of somewhere for us to search!"

"Hey what was that?" Marlon said as he pointed to the mist.

"What was what?" Terra asked.

"I thought I saw something moving over there," Marlon said. "Let's check it out."

The two moved in the direction of where Marlon had thought he'd seen something.

"It just looks like the rest of the swamp," Terra said as she gestured around. "Moss, mud, green and brown, nothing new."

"Maybe it was nothing," Marlon said, "Wait there it is again!"

Marlon pointed to a large silhouette slinking a short distance away.

"Maybe we shouldn't get too close," Terra said as she backed up.

Marlon stepped towards it curiously though. As he did, in a sudden burst, something broke free to the surface. The silhouette happened to belong to a massive crocodile, which now was just inches away from Marlon.

"Uh...hi," Marlon greeted. "We were just leaving."

The large reptile lunged at Marlon though, snapping the boy up in its massive jaws in an instant.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, please stop," Marlon groaned as he bounced around the creature's mouth.

Mimi and Zach rushed to Terra's side in concern at all the sudden commotion.

"What is happening!?" Mimi exclaimed.

Terra just wordlessly gestured to the Marlon struggling in the mouth of the monstrous lizard.

"Can you do something about this!?" Zach asked Terra.

"ME!?" Terra gasped in disbelief.

"Well you're the psychoterrorist!" Zach exclaimed. "Haven't you dealt with this sort of crazy crap before!"

"Believe it or not in all my days I've never had to subdue a prehistoric crocodile," Terra stated.

"Okay, what about you then?" Zach asked Mimi.

"ME!? Well actually I did have to subdue a prehistoric crocodile in the oft unappreciated TV sequel to Jurassic Park...but that was all special effects, they just flipped a switch and it blew to pieces!" Mimi exclaimed.

Suddenly the group heard the sound of something approaching rapidly. They turned to see Michelle charging straight for them. The girl launched herself into a wide leap, making her way over the three onlookers and lunging directly for the head of the beast. As she made collison she jabbed her fingers into either eye of the creature. The crocodile let out a shrill roar, releasing Marlon and fleeing. Michelle dug her hands into its tail and was pulled along with the creature as it submerged itself back into the pool of murky water.

"Well...looks like it's not her first rodeo at least," Zach remarked.

 **Confessional:**

 **Zach-** I've got to get Mimi to trust me, if she can see that I'm not... _such_ a bad guy, hopefully she's let her walls down a bit. Of course that means I actually need to act like I care about her and ugh...gross.

 **Mimi-** I know I said I wouldn't let Zach get into my head but...well I let him get into my head! I just can't shake this one voice, no matter how small, saying 'What if?'

 **Marlon-** So what did we learn today? If you see a large shadow, don't follow it. And if you're being eaten by a crocodile go for the eyes. But better yet, just don't fight crocodiles.

(Ghastly Ghouls)

The group of five underground had managed to come back from the dangling edge, but now were stranded on a small mound of dirt. The tunnel had collapsed and in front of them was nothing but a deep drop.

"Well this is bad," Marky noted.

Seth tapped his knuckles against the recently fallen dirt.

"It would seem as though the path we followed...is a one way passage," he stated.

"Well nothing's impossible!" Bailey exclaimed.

"A lovely sentiment, but highly incorrect," Ada stated.

"Well we've got ONE way to go at least!" Jeffrey exclaimed as he pointed down to dark drop.

"You're suggesting we all jump to our deaths?" Ada asked dryly.

"MAYBE I AM!" Jeffrey retorted. "Or we could just climb down with THIS!"

Jeffrey reached into his sleeve and began spooling out a colorful scarf. He continued to tug and tug, coiling into a pile that seemed much bigger than what should have fit in the space.

"It's a risk," Ada said, "But I suppose we don't have a lot of options now."

One after another the group of five climbed down the colorful fabric and into the abyss. To their surprise, the descent was not as long as expected and they soon reached solid ground again.

"Okay so now we're even deeper in the pit of this island," Marky said. "When are we going to get back up to the surface?"

"You don't think they'd just leave us trapped down here forever, right?" Bailey asked.

"Have you seen this hosting brigade?" Marky replied dryly. "They probably don't even realize we're down here."

"Well that's reassuring," Ada remarked.

As the group continued to make their way through the underground cavern, Seth slowed down and seemed to inspect the ground.

"What do you see?" Bailey asked.

"Hm...this is different," Seth remarked. "We're not the first to walk this path."

Seth used his sleeves to clear away much of the dirt and eventually revealed the surface of something stone.

"Very interesting!" Ada exclaimed. "Perhaps we're on the trail of some long forgotten culture after all."

"Long forgotten culture? SOUNDS LIKE THE BACK OF MY REFRIGERATOR GRAH HAP HAP HAP HAP HAP HO HO HO HO HO EHEHEHE WEEEEEEEEEE HE HE HEEEE!" Jeffrey cackled.

"Let's see where this goes, it might just lead us to our goal after all," Ada stated.

The group increased their pace. More signs of stone appeared buried among the mounds of dirt surrounding them. Eventually they entered a chamber of stone, with steps from all directions leading down towards a dirty nearly black pool of water.

"What is this place?" Marky gasped.

"Without more information I can only guess," Ada said. "But I would say this was likely a spiritual space for whatever ancient civilization lived here. In its glory, I imagine this fountain would have been a pristine monument to their deities-"

"Wait wait wait, so what you're saying is this fountain would qualify as holy water!?" Jeffrey exclaimed.

"Well…" Ada said, seeing Jeffrey's crazed eyes. "Yes."

"YEEEEEEHAW!" Jeffrey exclaimed as he dived into the inky black water. "WE DID IT! I'm cured...the curse...I can feel it lifting off of me!"

"You did it, Ada!" Bailey exclaimed as he embraced Ada. "You saved Jeffrey!"

"Well, ahem, I suppose...that's one way of looking at it," Ada said, conflicting between joy and maintaining her composure. "I mean, there never really was a curse to begin with, but this discovery is still very worthy of celebration."

"You want to talk about worthy discoveries, how about wherever Jeffrey bought that makeup," Marky pointed out, as Jeffrey scooped up dark water and dumped it over his face but maintained the white complexion.

"Every clown worth his salt knows to invest in waterproof makeup," Jeffrey exclaimed, caking himself in mud. "I CAN LIVE AGAIN!"

As Jeffrey splashed through the fountain though, the water began to bubble.

"Uuh...that doesn't seem good," Marky said, as the ground began to shake as well.

"We may have disturbed a presence we were not meant to interfere with," Seth cautioned.

"The Old Gods are angry at us!" Bailey sobbed.

"No, no, it's just-" Ada began.

However, before she could finish her explanation, a geyser of water burst from the fountain, engulfing all five and launching them upwards. Moving at a high speed,the group soared up through mud and dirt, eventually breaching the surface of the swamp again. The five bodies ended up colliding with those of Zach, Mimi, Marlon, and Terra.

"Well, hello there," Bailey greeted.

 **Confessional:**

 **Bailey-** We may not have found this lost city, but we got to save Jeffrey from his curse, and isn't that what's truly important in the end? This was still a victory in the name of teamwork!

 **Ada-** Don't get me wrong, I could point out that Jeffrey was probably just covering himself in filthy disease filled water for no reason...but he seemed happy which believe it or not is better than terrified Jeffrey.

 **Jeffrey-** I've never felt greater relief in my entire life! I could see it all flashing past my eyes. Getting a coupon for a clown class for my 14th birthday, going to that clown class, performing as the opening act for the Elvis impersonator...but this is NOT the end for Jeffrey the Clown!

(Devilish Demons)

Grace casually walked back to Sybil and Rory.

"And where have you been?" Sybil asked.

"My status became discovered, I thought it best to regroup and prepare for a secondary attempt," Grace stated.

"Okay fine whatever, the challenge isn't even that important," Sybil remarked.

"It's not!?" Rory exclaimed.

"I would contest that as the challenge is linked to immunity which in turn is linked to our individual statuses in this game its importance should not be understated," Grace claimed.

"Fine, it's a little bit important," Sybil said making a small gesture with her fingers, indicating a small size. "Rory, you can follow those girls!"

Sybil grabbed Rory and tossed him forward.

"Remember what I taught you!" Sybil called.

"You didn't really teach me anything," Rory pointed out.

"Yeah yeah whatever," Sybil said, gesturing for him to get moving. "Now then, Grace, my dear….uh….person, that I am speaking to right now...can I ask you a question?"

"I don't believe you need to inquire permission for such a minimal request, although I appreciate your respect of social boundaries, I think this is a situation where-" Grace recited.

"Okay, good!" Sybil cut her off. "Let me ask, how much do you trust Michelle and Marlon?"

"None whatsoever," Grace replied.

"Wait really?" Sybil asked in shock.

"Trust is an incredibly precious commodity, it cannot be built without time and strong reason for faith," Grace stated. "As much as I may appreciate my friends, I have no reason to believe that they may have my interest at heart any further than to serve their own interests."

"Hm, this might be easier than I thought," Sybil said. "Well you shouldn't trust them! They will sell you out in order to move up on their own alliance. I happened to spy them discussing as such, and used my unexplainable but highly reliable abilities of aura perception to detect exactly what they were talking about."

"Okay," stated Grace."This seems like good information to consider."

"You think?" Sybil said sarcastically. "Your state in this game could be at risk, yeah maybe that's worth considering!"

Up ahead, Rory was still struggling to even move through the muddy terrain without tripping over his feet.

"Oof, oh dear, oh this isn't going well at all," he lamented as he stumbled through the mud for a third time.

Further ahead, Emily and Chloe had made a discovery.

"These rocks," Chloe said as she approached a section of large stones.

"Very pretty, I just love them!" Emily exclaimed.

"Not just that," Chloe said, "I think they're ruins. I think this used to be a building. Which means that we have to be close to the city."

"Aweeeee, you're so smart I love it!" Emily squealed.

Rory heard this exclamation and saw the girls pick up their pace. He made to increase his own speed. However he found he was just running on the mud with his legs slipping and not actually making any progress. Then he felt on his face again.

"Bother," he groaned, pulling himself up and chasing after the girls.

Chloe and Emily found that the ground was starting to become more even, less murky. Their trek took them to a large dip in the ground.

"Oh my gosh!" Emily gasped as they reached the edge.

The two looked down to see a sunken bowl in the ground, housing the remains of a city. The stone structured had crumbled and were coated in moss, but it was clear that this was once an expansive man-made paradise.

"We found it!" Emily exclaimed.

"Just uh...hold on a moment!" Rory exclaimed as he tried to catch up with the girls.

His leg got tangled by a vine though, and he found despite his efforts, he was not able to run any further. He tugged at the vine, and only ended up losing his grip and falling backwards.

"Let's end this!" Chloe exclaimed as she slid down the side of the bowl.

Emily followed behind her and the two reached the husk of an ancient city.

"Wow, it really is beautiful," Emily breathed as they walked between the moss coated ruins.

"Congratulations!" Chris exclaimed as he and Chef emerged from one of the buildings. "Emily and Chloe, you have made it to your goal and won immunity for the Ghastly Ghouls. Well done!"

"We did, teamie!" Emily cheered as she leapt up and down. "That's the power of two friends setting their minds to a common goal. Nothing can stop us!"

 **Confessional:**

 **Emily-** This is a good look for me! I was right there when we won the challenge, so people have to realize that I'm doing my absolute best for this team!

 **Rory-** Oh dear, that definitely could have done better.

 **Sybil-** The problem with dealing with Grace is...I never know what she's actually thinking. I like to think I got my point across, but she's some sort of expressionless robot so I have to keep asking myself whether she actually took in what I said or not. Guess we'll find out soon.

(Devilish Demons)

"Well team, we tried our best," Marlon said as the group returned to their camp. "I know we wished for a better outcome, but we'll just have to get through-"

"Yeah yeah we all know the pep talk, let's just get to scheming!" Sybil exclaimed. "Don't mind me I'll just be doing my own things...over here...out of earshot…"

Terra grouped together Marlon, Michelle, and Zach once the others had dispersed.

"Okay this is our chance to work together and actually make an effective strike," Terra said. "Let's try to come to some agreement where-"

"Voting for Rory," Michelle stated.

"Uh...well that's one option," Terra said.

"It's the only option I need," Michelle said. "He is weak and will meet an unfortunate fate if he remains on this island much longer. It must be done."

"Well I was hoping there would be a little more discussion," Terra said.

"There is none needed, my mind is made up," Michelle stated, already leaving the group.

Marlon gave an apologetic shrug to Terra and Zach.

"She can be stubborn," Marlon offered.

"You don't say," Zach remarked.

"She may not be all off though," Marlon said. "Rory is...well he seems like a great guy, means well. But he's not exactly the team's strongest asset."

"Well neither is Grace," Terra pointed out. "Are you missing out a group works? It only works if we cooperate, not just one person dictating what happens. One person giving orders to many is exactly how the world's nations are led into blind disarray!"

"Hey I hear you," Marlon said, "but uh...Michelle isn't exactly someone who plays well with others. And we may need to appease her this time. I don't know if we can safely change things up without bringing in others, and they might not exactly be happy with us making this group without them. I think we need to keep it on the downlow for now."

"Oh absolutely, they would be furious to be excluded," Zach added.

"So that's it then?" Terra asked in frustration.

"Well, I suppose I can talk with Michelle, see if she'll change her mind," Marlon said. "But don't get your hopes up."

As Marlon walked away, Zach remarked to Terra, "Well I hope you can see what a bad idea this whole thing is."

"Always so negative," Terra scoffed.

"I'm just being realistic," Zach said. "They completely ignored any form of discussion. They're not interested in working with us, just using us to cut out people like Rory who would be loyal to us. Why give them that chance?"

"We don't know it's as cut and dry as that," Terra said.

"Please, don't be naive," Zach scoffed. "That was typical Good Cop, Bad Cop. Michelle got to say the part and Marlon will pretend to try to change her mind but fail and we'll be stuck voting out someone who's with us for no reason."

 **Confessional:**

 **Terra-** I didn't expect this to be easy to come to an agreement...I did expect there'd be some respect going around though. I could possibly see myself cutting out Rory, but I would like to have at least known my own opinion was taken into account.

 **Marlon-** This is going to be somewhat awkward. Michelle has never been one to take orders from anyone, or even suggestions. We probably should have thought of that before including her, but I worry if we try to change the plan now it will backfire on us.

 **Zach-** I see what's going on here. Marlon and Michelle want us to give up Rory, how convenient. Especially since that will put them into a power position with Grace and Mimi, unless we can flip them first.

Sybil had pulled Rory aside, separating them from the rest of the group.

"Alright, those suckers are probably talking about eliminating you right now," Sybil said.

"Oh uh...really?" Rory said sadly.

"Yep," Sybil said casually. "They're probably calling you pathetic, weak, useless, hopeless, stringbean, less capable than a three year old child, coordination akin to that of a sack of flour."

"Okay," Rory sighed.

"A joke, a waste of a space on the cast, a blight on our chances in challenges," Sybil continued to recite. "BUT we're going to get them back!"

"Okay," Rory said, "what do we need to do?"

"You need to make yourself as pathetic as possible," Sybil said.

"Um, doesn't that sound like the opposite of what I should be doing?" Rory asked.

"Can you stop asking stupid questions and just trust that I goddamn know what I'm talking about!?" Sybil snapped. "Now then, you're going to really bring out those puppy dog eyes, really down and beaten, people will suck that up like the thirsty parasite they are! I've already set the course for Grace, but now you need to go in and close the deal. So get to closing!"

"Okay, okay," Rory exclaimed as he scrambled away from Sybil.

He ended up bumping right into Grace as he fled awkwardly.

"Oh my, my apologies that you weren't looking where you were going," Grace exclaimed.

"My uh...yes," Rory said in a disoriented babble. "Um Grace...I'm pathetic."

"On many ways that is true," Grace stated. "However you should focus on the aspects where you are more sustainable."

"Uh...thank you," Rory said.

"You are welcome, it is important to be reminded of your positive aspects, lacking though they may be, they are meaningful on an individual level," Grace stated. "Some of my positive aspects include origami, mathematics, and I hope it is safe to say, social interaction."

"Right, great," Rory said, "but uh..well the reason I say that is cause I think people might want to vote me out tonight. I haven't done great in any challenges, and I'm just scared."

"And you have ample reason to be, the thought had occurred to me that it may be a logical outcome," Grace stated.

"Oh…" Rory said softly.

"However, true logic exhausts all possibilities, and I believe there may be more pressing matters to attend to," Grace added.

"Yes," Rory said. "We have to watch out for people like Michelle and Marlon. They will cut either of us to keep the team strong, I know it!"

"I have heard the same," Grace said. "So the next logical step would be to take action."

"Perfect, let's do that!" Rory exclaimed.

The two took off together and crossed the campsite to find Mimi. As they approached though, Grace stopped Rory.

"Perhaps it would be best for me to address this alone," Grace stated. "Unknown factors such as yourself can cause a sense of unease which may prohibit full open conversation. You understand, of course."

"Uh right, good luck," Rory said.

Grace walked up to Mimi and stated. "It is imperative that we discuss our joint decision for mutual benefit and security."

"Um...hello to you too," Mimi replied.

"I did not say hello," Grace said. "For reasons of speed and urgency, I thought it might be appropriate to reduce such pleasantries. However, if that deters your sense of comfort...hello."

Grace smiled eerily at Mimi.

"So, uh, what's all this now?" Mimi asked.

"I have heard on two sources that there may be an alliance that we are not a part of," Grace said. "One source is often not enough to form a proper conclusion, but two is more cause for concern."

"Hm, you heard that too?" Mimi replied. "I didn't want to believe it at first. But do you think it's possible."

"Yes," Grace stated. "It is entirely possible, given our current set of circumstances."

"Then we're going to have to fight back," Mimi said. "Although I don't want to regret this if we're acting up over nothing. Let's try to gun for someone we don't really need anyways. I would certainly be happy to shake Zach off my back...but he I suppose he did warn me about this. So that leaves Terra."

"Wonderful deductive reasoning and process of elimination to get to an acceptable conclusion," Grace commended.

 **Confessional:**

 **Rory-** I don't really like being called pathetic and uh sack of flour and all that other mean stuff Sybil was saying. But I don't think she's too far off actually, and I need to keep up tough skin and not let it get to me...however difficult that may be (cringes) If I can put this to good use though I will do that. Anything to shift the target off of me.

 **Grace-** Caution is key in events of life and death. This is not quite that, but if we were to employ metaphors to the occasion, then I could consider the situation to be between life or death of my status within this game. The possibility? Original friends have moved on to form a new group that does not include me. Is this threat real? Inconclusive but enough evidence to cause concern. The solution? Remove one of the members of this new group to prevent further progress.

 **Mimi-** Ugh, I really thought Zach was just trying to create problems for me, but maybe he was onto something after all. Marlon and Terra have been spending a lot of time together and he hasn't talked to me as much since the swap. Even with this vote I don't know for sure what he's doing. The best bet is to just remove the unknown entity and that's Terra. Take her out and I don't have to worry about Marlon having any conflicting loyalty to me.

Mimi and Grace approached Zach, who was doing his best to appear nonchalant, leaning against the side of the cabin.

"Well well, come to your senses and decided to crawl back to me?" he remarked.

"You do not get to make this any more painful than it has to be!" Mimi said as she jabbed a finger in Zach's face. "I thought about what you said..and I've decided that I do not want to take the gamble if you really are telling the truth. But I am not voting for Michelle or Marlon without any hard proof. The deal is Terra goes or you can forget about any support from me."

"I echo the same sentiment," Grace added. "Without the aggressive intotation and vaguely threatening undertones. I don't have any qualms with you."

"And there's no need for any, I am fine to give Terra the old heave ho," Zach said. "She's been nothing but trouble for me and I never was that close to her to begin with. Consider it a done deal. Glad we had this talk."

Zach slid along the way, leaving the girls and made his way into the woods where he found Sybil and Rory waiting to meet with him.

"Well!?" Sybil demanded.

"We are set for tonight," Zach stated proudly. "The girls are going for Terra, which means-"

"We have a clear shot to take out Marlon!" Sybil exclaimed,

"Marlon, eh?" Zach remarked. "You know we could just keep things simple and-"

"Nope," Sybil interrupted. "We are not wasting this chance while we have it! Marlon is the key pillar keeping the other side together. You really think the other three are going to have a hope if he's not there with his pathetically boring level-headedness? I don't think so!"

"Sounds scandalous," Zach said with a smirk. "I'm in."

"Perfect!" Sybil exclaimed before cackling menacingly.

Zach joined in her sinister laugh.

"Uh yeah, ha ha...ha. Let's get them," Rory added uncertainly.

Sybil stuck her hand in his face before scoffing, "If you can't do the evil laugh right please don't at all, you'll make us look bad."

 **Confessional:**

 **Zach-** Taking out Marlon will definitely be a big move and it will make some ripples for sure. On the one hand, we have the power here to just ditch Terra or even Michelle would probably be less offensive. But on the other...I do love me a dangerous scandal.

 **Sybil-** You know, I wouldn't have guessed it at first, but Zach and I really have this mindlink thing going on between us. It's like ideas flying through the air before we can even speak, because we both had the same idea . This game isn't ready for us!

 **Rory-** Wow uh...these guys are really getting intense about all of this. I'm not even exactly sure what we're doing anymore, but I'll try to not let anything get in the way of getting this plan off the ground.

Marlon had found Michelle in the woods and was once again trying his best to keep up with her pace.

"So uh...thanks for saving me from that crocodile," Marlon said, "I really appreciate...not being dead."

"I wouldn't have to if you stuck to my advice and stopped putting yourself in harm's way," Michelle stated. "I would have hoped this would have become clear to you by now."

"Right uh...sorry," Marlon said.

"Do not apologize just stop making my job harder," Michelle said bluntly.

"Well um, there's actually something else I wanted to discuss," Marlon said. "See, I think Terra and Zach were hoping to bring up a different option to vote."

"I don't care," Michelle stated.

"Well I kind of care," Marlon said, "if this is going to work out-"

"You can vote how you please," Michelle said. "Do not waste either of our time by trying to convince me to change my decision when I've already made it clear my mind is made up."

"Uh well...okay then," Marlon said as he backed up, sighing to himself, "Not like I expected anything different."

Marlon met up with Terra as he returned to the camp.

"Any luck?" Terra asked.

"No dice, she's laser focused," Marlon replied. "Any word on what the others are doing?"

"They've been inconveniently hard to find," Terra grumbled. "Not the best sign."

"Agreed," Marlon said. "I've been so busy trying to get a handle on Michelle, Mimi and Grace are probably already suspecting something is up between us. We might just have to fallback on a safe call this round and vote out Rory. I promise we'll balance the scale again if we do have to repeat this."

"Mm," Terra just mumbled to herself.

Not long after Marlon had given her space, Zach filled in the gap from the other side.

"I take it things didn't go so well," Zach remarked. "Does this make up your mind for you?"

"I...don't know," Terra sighed.

"Terra, I-" Zach began before being pushed aside by Sybil.

"How can you not know!?" Sybil snapped, shaking Terra. "After all that, wake up, dunderhead! Hello hello, anyone home, Houston we have a problem, no signs of intelligent life in this organism. You know what Rory has been doing this whole time? His damn best to get the girls to stray vote so we can pull off an epic blindside. But your precious boyfriend wants to vote him out, and you're just okay with it!?"

"Wait stray vote? For who?" Terra asked.

"Doesn't matter, stay on track," Sybil said. "There is no question of loyalty with Rory. He has nowhere else to go, so he's not going to dick us around. That's exactly what Marlon is doing, so if you're with us, you'll vote him out!"

"I...need to think about this," Terra groaned.

"What you need is to get that brain of yours checked out," Sybil said. "We don't have TIME for you to run through your completely incompetent thoughts."

"You know what, for someone who's supposedly so loyal to me, you sure have an easy time flinging insults," Terra snapped.

"Maybe that's because you make it so damn easy when you act like an imbecile!" Sybil retorted.

"The entire reason I'm hesitant is because my voice was being overruled," Terra pointed out. "But you seem to have no problem at all steamrolling right over me. If my thoughts aren't important to you then I guess that shows how much you value my interests here. Maybe think about that!"

"Ladies, can we work out our differences after this vote?" Zach exclaimed. "This is our one opportunity. If we blow this we won't get another chance, they'll know something is up. So let's work this out right now."

 **Confessional:**

 **Terra-** Like most things in the world, a simple issue is made needlessly complicated and I'm left with no easy option here. I feel good with Marlon, him and I have a connection and I think he is doing his best to help me out here. But if it's true that Rory has been trying to help too, then voting him out would be unfair for me to do. But I can't just be the single vote for Grace and let everyone else collide? So what's the answer here? ARRGH!

 **Zach-** Honestly if Terra is going to cause this much hassle for us, then maybe it's time to change the plan, just cut her loose and instead move on to working over Mimi and Grace who seemed willing enough to at least make a move.

 **Sybil-** (massaging temples) Honestly...I cannot believe...the stupidity of some people. I mean, you look through impossible legends, Bigfoot, Aliens, Government replacing McDonald's workers with preprogrammed clones, all seem a lot more believable now that I've met someone who has an IQ that defies reality itself. I am hustling my heiny off to make the most of this chance we have, and Terra is still going to stay on her high horse and make us play the guessing game up to the last minute. She is getting on my last nerve, and believe me, my last nerve went out the door about three rounds ago, so we're talking like the ghost of my last nerve!

(Elimination)

The team reached the wooden platform and took their seats facing Chris and Chef.

"Welcome, welcome, Devilish Demons, to your first elimination as a newly formed team," Chris exclaimed. "Last time you managed to secure sweet victory, but your luck has run out."

"Believe me, Chris, my luck was long gone by the time I wound up with these bozos," Sybil groaned.

"Why don't you tell us how you really feel?" Terra groaned.

"I would but they'd probably have to remove the entire scene for censorship purposes," Sybil replied.

"I'm picking up on some tension," Chris noted.

"Oh is that so, Chris? You're picking up on some tension? Well you don't freaking say," Sybil ranted. "Maybe it's because I'm tenser than your incredibly ill-fitting pants."

Chris seemed to become awkwardly conscious of his pants and tried to shift the conversation.

"So Marlon, despite the animosity going on here, has there been any good to come from this switch?" Chris asked.

"I like to think so," Marlon replied. "It's bound to be awkward at first, but we got an extra day and I do think that's helped to bridge the gap a bit."

"So we're not going to expect a deadlock right out the gate?" Chris asked.

"Not if I can help it," Marlon said.

Mimi glanced at Grace with a hint of concern.

"Honestly Chris, it's a guessing game at this point," Zach said. "We can all say whatever we need to get people to trust us, but we won't know anything until we actually see the votes."

"A great point, so how about we get right to it!?" Chris exclaimed. "Rory, if you'll start us off…"

Rory stepped up from his seat and moved to submit his vote.

(Later)

"Alright, chumps," Chef barked, "We've got here the votes and you better pray to your God that your name ain't gonna be read or else you'll be taking a trip down….down...down…"

"Yes, Chef, build that suspense!" Chris exclaimed.

"The first vote," Chef read, "is for none other than….Marlon!"

Marlon flinched slightly, but tried to maintain his composure.

"Second vote...Rory!" Chef read.

"Knew it," Rory sighed.

"Third vote...Rory!" Chef continued.

"Sorry guys," Rory lamented.

"Fourth vote...Marlon!" Chef announced.

"Interesting, interesting," Marlon said with worry reaching into his voice as he nodded his head.

"Fifth vote...Terra!" Chef read.

"Okay, what!?" Terra snapped. "Not cool!"

"Sixth vote….Terra!" Chef continued.

Terra scowled.

"That's two votes Rory, two votes Marlon, two votes Terra," Chef said, "and two votes for the same person. Eliminated from Total Drama Legends vs Nobodies…"

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"Marlon!"

"Wait...what?" Mimi gasped. "What what...uh...what?"

"I'm just as lost as you are," Marlon said with a shrug as he got up. "So uh...sorry guys? Not sure where I went wrong, but guess you got me."

"Marlon, in the hole!" Chef barked as he picked up Marlon and tossed him into the abyss like a basketball.

'Thank you, Chef," Chris said. "As for the rest of you...you survived. For now! Head on back to your cabin and get some rest. Another day another doom awaits you!"

As the group got up there was various suspicious glares shot around and others evading gazes awkwardly. Mimi was fuming to herself. Michelle just marched solemnly. Zach chuckled smugly as he pulled up next to Sybil.

"Mission accomplished," he remarked.

 **Votes:**

 **Michelle-** Rory. Leave.

 **Marlon-** Yeah I'm gonna vote for Rory here. You seem like a nice guy, maybe this just isn't the right activity for you.

 **Rory-** Okay I'm gonna vote for Marlon, don't hate me please, I just got roped into this evil plan, I swear I'm not an evil person, but will I can be a little bit evil if it means I get to stay. Sorry pal, you or me!

 **Sybil-** Marlon you are a threat and basically the glue holding together the Legends here. I would be daft not to take you out now and I just hope my fellow Nobodies feel the same way.

 **Mimi-** I'm going to vote for Terra. I just don't know you very well and I think I need you gone if I'm gonna thrive here.

 **Grace-** Miss Terra I think it's very admirable that you want to improve the world, I wish you all the best in achieving that goal somewhere else!

 **Zach-** Marlon, nothing personal, you're just the victim of a power move.

 **Terra-** Ugh this is terrible, but no matter what I do I'm cutting myself off. I really hate to do this, but well things didn't work out as well as I'd hope, I'm gonna have to vote Marlon.

(Conclusion)

"Well, well, well," Chris said as he sat on one of the seats at the elimination ceremony. "Marlon tried to be the Hero, but he ended up a Zero thanks to a split vote gone wrong. Will his friends let him live that one down!?"

"If he even has friends," Chef remarked. "Kid seemed kinda weird. Not someone I'd spend my lunch with."

"True, true," Chris agreed. "But we love a few weird kids among the Total Drama cast. There's certainly going to be some explaining to do at the Devilish Demons camp. Despite Marlon's dream to blend the lines, the original Nobodies held strong and he paid the price for it. But what does this mean for Grace, Mimi, and Michelle? Will one of them follow next!?"

"That would be if they lose the challenge," Chef said. "We could be looking at the other team too. You really think they're gonna keep the clown around any longer?"

"They've kept him this far, why not!?" Chris added. "But find out for yourselves when we return for another exciting episode of Total Drama-"

Chris was interrupted by a sudden gust of wind, creating a roaring sound in the trees.

"Legendsvsnobodies BYE!" Chris shrieked as he fled the scene.


	9. Pumpkin Pummel

"Chef, my good man," Chris remarked to his cohost from inside the leaky cabin, "what do you suppose are the odds that the network will fly out some coffee for us?"

"It ain't happening, Chris," Chef stated dryly.

"I can't take this boiled river water much longer!" Chris sobbed.

"Whoa, whoa, hold up there...I was supposed to boil it first?" Chef asked.

"It doesn't matter anymore, we're dying on this rock one way or another, aren't we!?" Chris said as he dropped to his knees.

"Well...yes," Chef replied.

"At least I'll go out doing what I love…" Chris said dramatically, before springing back up, "Doing the episode recap! Previously on Total Drama Legends vs Nobodies, the second round of the swap was under way and things were not getting any easier. Terra and Marlon saw to creating an alliance between the sides...which was immediately leaked by Zach. Meanwhile on the Ghastly Ghouls, Jeffrey believed he had fallen victim to a fatal curse and he was not going to go quietly. During the challenges, Jeffrey and various others from his team spent more time finding a cure than their goal, but it didn't matter since Emily and Chloe were able to still bring in the win for the Ghouls. The Demons went to vote and after some heavy discussions, Marlon was blindsided thanks to the original Legends ending up with a split vote. How will this affect the remaining 14? Time to watch and find out!"

* * *

(Devilish Demons)

 **Confessional:**

 **Terra-** Last round was terrible and I still can't be sure if I made the right decision or not. The options were Marlon and Rory, on paper it made more sense to stick with Marlon, but Zach and Sybil were adamant, and they would have had the perfect chance to shift the target to me with the girls if Rory left. They would not have been happy to say the least. But don't think that I'm not ready to fight, it just requires the right timing to strike. I'm on alert for this chance now!

 **Mimi-** I can't believe that just happened! I feel bamboozled and just disappointed in myself for not seeing this coming. I got caught up in paranoia and letting people get in my head and now Marlon is gone. He didn't deserve that, he wanted nothing but good things for our team. And now...well I have no idea what's going to happen.

* * *

Mimi paced along the grass where Grace was currently sitting.

"Ugh, we screwed up," Mimi groaned.

"It would seem as though we may have misplaced our judgement, yes," Grace noted calmly.

"This is not good, this is really not good for us," Mimi stressed.

Grace just nodded in agreement.

"The original Nobodies have the upper hand now," Mimi said, "If we lose again...they hold all the power."

"Hm, true. This does not seem to look good for your chances," Grace noted.

"Just MY chances, not yours!?" Mimi asked.

"Correct," Grace replied. "Your emotional state will not only further skew your judgement, but also draw more attention from those that have voted against us. It's not your fault though, it's perfectly natural to let your emotions take over in such a situation. Not everyone has completed the extension social training that I have."

"Well you know what? I'm going to go change that right now!" Mimi said. "I'm not going down without a fight!"

"Customarily, I would be inclined to wish you luck," Grace replied. "However, seeing as your success could quite likely switch the target to myself, I'm going to have to hope you fail."

"Yeah whatever," Mimi said, already leaving Grace behind.

Mimi soon spotted Zach and angrily marched towards him.

"Whoa whoa," Zach said nervously, backing up as Mimi sternly jabbed a finger in his face.

"You!" she snapped.

"Heh...hello," Zach greeted as Mimi stared him down.

"You royally screwed me over last night!" Mimi accused.

"Hey now hey now...okay, I'm not even going to deny that, you're right," Zach chuckled. "But hold on a minute! I still kept you in the clear, and I took out someone who as making alliances without you. That part was never a lie."

"I can't believe you'd use and abuse me like this and then you still have the gall to try to make this pitch to me," Mimi scoffed. "I can't even listen to you right now, you're making me too mad!"

"Okay, but I'm not sure why you came over here then?" Zach pointed out.

"Can't hear you!" Mimi said angrily as she covered her ears.

"Okay you do that then," Zach said while shaking his head.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Mimi-** Really I only have myself to blame for this. It's one thing to get fooled by someone as unpredictable as Sonica, but I knew full well that I couldn't trust Zach...and yet I still let down my guard to him and now I'm paying the price. I just hope this isn't the end for me. Mimi Evertide Outplayed by Photographer? I'd become a joke!

 **Grace-** The result of the last night was not preferable. There seems to be a common misconception that focusing negative energy on a mistake will offer a solution, this is false. Such action will actually have the inverse effect, causing one to become too wound up over what could have been done differently to consider what needs to be done next. I will not hold onto my decision, but rather will study the situation to find the optimal path for my own survival. That is the key priority at this moment.

 **Zach-** Do I feel bad about betraying Mimi? Eh (shrugs) I knew what I was getting into. I suppose it's a shame that I've probably missed the chance to work with her, but pulling off that move was critical last round. Marlon was a clear pillar for the original Legends, knocking him out while we had the chance was necessary.

* * *

(Ghastly Ghouls)

Jeffrey was sitting on a stump in the woods, looking up towards the trees, seemingly in deep thought.

"Let's see, uh, let's see," he mused to himself. "Why did the chicken cross the road? Hm...classic, but needs a new punchline…"

'Perhaps the chicken simply hoped to explore new horizons," Seth stated as he approached from behind Jeffrey.

"HAAAAAA! OOOOOH HEE HEE HEE HEE! NEW HORIZONS!?" Jeffrey laughed while slapping Seth to the ground vigorously. "That's...wait...I don't get it."

"Yes, perhaps my attempts at humor need some refining," Seth remarked as he pulled himself up.

"Perhaps your attempts at fashion do too! GAAAAH HAY HAY HAY HOO HOO HOO WHOOOO BOY TOO FUNNY!" Jeffrey cackled. "Hey it's just a joke, chin up!"

Jeffrey ended up slapping Seth on the back again, though the boy seemed more braced for the assault this time.

"Well uh...Jeffrey," Marky said, approaching as well, "do you recall what we were talking about yesterday? Actually before you say something ridiculous I'll just tell you, we were talking about working together to make sure the girls don't get the upper hand on us. If we team up we just need to pull in Bailey."

"Hm...what to say to that?" Jeffrey said as he paced in a circle around Marky, "Oh I know…SOMETHING RIDICULOUS! GOOO HOO HOOO HEE HEE HEE WEEEEEE HEE HEE HEE!"

Jeffrey laughed directly in Marky's face before shoving him against a tree.

"You thought you could stop me from saying something ridiculous...BUT YOU FAILED!" Jeffrey continued to laugh. "EEEEEEEEE OOOOOOH HO HO HO HO HO AAAAAAAH HAAAAAA!"

"That doesn't really answer my question," Marky sighed while rubbing his ribs.

"Oh but doesn't it!?" Jeffrey said with an obnoxious wink.

Marky glanced at Seth helplessly. Seth just shrugged in return.

Meanwhile in the cabin, Ada was sitting on her bed taking notes while Chloe was performing a vigorous stretching routine on the floor. Emily bounced over to the two, flopping herself uncofomfortably close to Ada as she landed on her bed.

"Whatcha doing!?" Emily asked.

"Simply reviewing my findings so far," Ada replied. "As expected, nothing confirming the existence of the supernatural.

"Wow, good job!" Emily exclaimed with two thumbs up.

"Do you...um, want something?" Ada asked, trying to put some space between the two.

"I'm just enjoying the vibe, you know? We got this great dynamic going between us," Emily said.

"We do?" Ada asked.

"Ha! Inside joke," Emily laughed, while pointing to Chloe, who just raised an eyebrow in confusion. "No but seriously, Ada, we just have this really great thing going on. Like you know how you say something condescending and make it seem like you can't stand to be around me? Too funny! Chloe knows what I'm talking about, right?"

"I really do not," Chloe said.

"Ah, this is what I'm talking about," Emily said, lying back in the bed. "Three best friends enjoying the summer together."

"Do you actually have any friends back home?" Ada asked with concern.

"Everyone is my friend!" Emily said with a smile.

"That sounds like a roundabout way of saying no," Ada noted.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Marky-** Progress with Jeffrey is...not going all that great. Which is a shame because Bailey's going to be even harder to flip. I'm starting to think my best bet to survive here is to just win enough challenges, but that doesn't mean I'm going to stop looking for threads to pull at.

 **Seth-** All forms of life communicate in their own way, you just need to learn to listen...I still haven't learned how to listen to Jeffrey, but I also don't want to be rendered deaf. It's something of a conundrum.

 **Emily-** Yeah Ada and I have no chemistry at all. I don't know what Chloe could possibly be thinking! Doesn't she realize that including an incompatible member to the friend circle will inevitably result in deconstruction!? It's up to me to save this trainwreck before it's too late!

* * *

(Devilish Demons)

Michelle had her saber drawn and her eyes intently focused on the sky. She seemed to be studying it, searching for something. Her sword ready to strike at any moment. Her focus never wavered as Terra approached.

"Michelle," Terre began, "I-"

"They'll be coming from the air," Michelle stated grimly. "The open spaces aren't safe anymore. But the shadows are prime territory for many other threats as well. There are no safe spaces left, it's almost too late for us."

"That is...very concerning," Terra said.

Michelle began to move at a striking rate, still frequently checking the sky.

"Michelle, wait!" Terra called. "I needed to apologize for the previous vote. I know I ended up going back on my word, and you have every reason to hate me. But I need you to know, it wasn't my intention screw you over. I just got put into a spot I wasn't expecting once others found out-"

"Okay," Michelle stated bluntly as she climbed up a tree.

"Okay? Okay what?!" Terra called after her. "Okay you understand? Okay you forgive me? Or is this just okay get lost? Hello! I'm still talking to you!"

"Would you keep it down!?" Sybil groaned as she approached Terra.

"I'm trying to talk to Michelle," Terra said.

"First of all, if you have to yell that loud then she probably doesn't want to hear it," Sybil stated. "Second of all, if you have to yell that loud I definitely don't want to hear it. Why are you wasting your time worrying about her anyways?"

"Well we just pulled the run out from under her last night," Terra said.

"And?" Sybil asked.

"Doesn't it seem like a bad idea to let her stew in bitterness?" Terra asked. "Disregarding others is an easy way to set yourself up for a downfall."

"What's she going to do? We have the majority now," Sybil pointed out. "Besides, she's not exactly Little Miss Sunshine, if you get what I'm saying. Need a second opinion? RORY! Get the hell over here and tell Terra to stop worrying so much about Michelle."

"Oh, uh, okay," Rory said as he jogged over to the two girls. "Uh...Terra, you should maybe uh-"

"Okay forget it, I thought you might be able to deliver a little more conviction, I don't know what came over me," Sybil said, covering Rory's mouth. "But you get the point!

"I don't think I do," Terra said. "My point still stands."

"Oh my God," Sybil groaned. "Okay, Rory, sidebar."

Sybil pulled Rory aside.

"Can you believe this bitch?" Sybil remarked. "After all the work we put in to pull off this move and she's already trying to find ways to get herself in good with the minority? It's like she thinks we're the bad guys here, I am not a bad person, Rory, and you...well you're probably good enough. Are we going to take this?"

"Uh...probably?" Rory offered.

"Probably!?" Sybil snapped. "Nah, you're right, I've already wasted too much effort. I'm going to take a nap."

Sybil turned and left without another word.

"What's her problem?" Terra remarked.

"Um...I think she may have many," Rory stated.

"I won't argue with that," Terra said. "But look, you get me, right? We may have the majority for now, but denying the future is what's causing global warming AND is what's going to cause us to crash and burn if we don't make repairs. So are you going to listen to Sybil or are you going to follow my lead here!?"

"Um...do you need an answer right away?" Rory asked nervously.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Terra-** Well the problem right now is...I don't even know how Michelle feels about me. I want to try to repair our relationship but if she won't communicate then how can I even begin? This is why we still need basic human contact, people today are so focused on their phones and computers they are losing the value of communication which will lead to total societal destruction! Which is also the perfect chance for me to remind everyone that in two weeks from today a team of hackers will launch a virus that will infect all phones causing them to overheat to the point of devastating explosions. This is your one warning, lose your phone or lose your life!

 **Rory-** Oh dear, being caught between Sybil and Terra is uh...not where I want to be! What if they get mad and try to hurt me? Terra seems just crazy enough to do that, or blow up my house or something...but Sybil has mystical powers! What if she puts a curse on me to turn me into a prune!? (looks at hands) Oh God, it's already happening! I'm shriveling up!

 **Sybil-** It wasn't enough for Terra to waffle back and forth on the vote and make it near impossible to pull off this move, now she's already looking for ways to flip to the minority that she just betrayed! Pathetic. We have a good thing going right now, it took work and some luck, and I'm not about to mess that up now.

* * *

(Ghastly Ghouls)

Marky and Seth had left Jeffrey and were walking together through the woods now.

"Well, we don't seem to be getting anywhere with the clown," Marky sighed.

"At least he seems to be getting some enjoyment out of the encounter," Seth stated.

"That guy could get enjoyment out of a hole in his sock," Marky said sarcastically.

"HAAAA! HOLE IN THE SOCK!" Jeffrey laughed from the distance.

"Ugh, let's move faster," Marky encouraged.

"We may have reached an obstacle, but the determined seed will still find a way to grow around with enough persistence," Seth stated.

"As usual, I'm sure you've got the perfect thing to say, I just have no clue how to interpret it," Marky replied. "But the way I see it, we're going to have to go back to square one, and that means trying to find a way to get through to Bailey."

"Hello gentlemen," Bailey suddenly greeted. "I was just taking Rojo for a daily stroll when I heard my name mentioned."

"Well that worked out conveniently," Marky said. "But yes, I was hoping we could find some sort of agreement where the three of us can survive the next vote."

"Oh um...that seems reasonable to me," Bailey said. "What do you think, Gentle Spring?"

"I swear if this pony screws us over," Marky grumbled to Seth under his breath.

"Hm, that is true, Gentle Spring, there are a lot of really great people," Bailey said. "It's going to be hard to find a name to agree on."

"You don't say," Marky remarked. "But maybe we could make sure that name isn't one of ours, get it?"

Bailey gave a glance to his plush pony.

"Well uh," Bailey stammered, "that does make a lot of sense. I guess, well, I mean, that is to say, maybe we could um-"

"Hiiii guys!" Emily squealed while skipping towards the group. "So...talking about voting out Ada?"

"What uh no!" Bailey exclaimed.

"Well...you should be! Just saying," Emily said.

"So you're saying you want to vote out Ada?" Marky asked.

"Oh no no no," Emily assured. "I have no problem with Ada, I think she's so smart and just great!"

The boys all glance at each other uncertainly. Emily picked up on the silence.

"It's just, well, you guys are all my friends too," Emily said with her hand on her heart. "And it's my duty to make sure that my friends take their best shot in this game."

"Which apparently is voting out Ada...even though you can't confirm that you're even voting that way?" Marky asked.

"Now you're getting it!" Emily exclaimed.

"I'm uh...confused," Bailey said as he scratched his head. "I thought you liked Ada."

"Oh but I do, Ada is one of my best friends!" Emily said. "I'd never do anything to screw her over. But you should still all vote her off. Think about it!"

"I'm trying to," Bailey said, still perplexed. "What exactly are you trying to say here?"

"What I'm trying to say is...you're all my best friends," Emily exclaimed. "And that's it."

"Okay…" Bailey said, glancing at the boys.

"Okay…" Marky echoed.

"Mm…" Seth said.

"Okay bye then!" Emily exclaimed, turning around. "Vote Ada!"

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Emily-** Sometimes you just have to take the matter into your own hands and then put it into someone else's hands. I thought things could work with Ada maybe, I tried oh I really tried my all, but the connection isn't there and if the connection's not there...why should I risk having her around and stealing my friends!? Nope, doesn't make much sense. And the best part is no one will ever realize that i had a hand in manipulating this result.

 **Bailey-** I'm uh...having a hard time to follow what's even going on anymore. Yesterday Emily told me it had to be one of Seth or Marky, and I was good to stick with that, cause good friends keep their promises, right Gentle Spring? And they also don't make fake promises which is why it was so tough trying to avoid the subject with Marky and Seth. But out of nowhere, Emily says we need to vote out Ada? Um what? Where did this come from?

 **Marky-** Is Emily very poorly trying to get us to shoot a hole in our ship...or does she really want to make a move and just is horrible and coming off convincingly? This is a minor division in levels of stupidity that will make all the difference.

* * *

(Later)

The two teams arrived in a small clearing in the woods that was littered with bright orange pumpkins of all different sizes. Chef was dragging the fruits to the sides, creating a narrow gap cutting through the patch.

"Welcome, Devilish Demons and Ghastly Ghouls," Chris greeted. "While most things on this island have been dead or close to it...apparently the terrain is ideal for pumpkins which have been sprouting up like crazy! So why not work that into the challenge, I say!"

"Hello, precious gifts of the harvest," Seth said as he placed a hand on one of the pumpkins.

"This challenge is quite simple, and it provides us with plenty of chance to tap into our need for wanton destruction," Chris said. "On the left you'll see the Devilish Demon pumpkins, and on the right you'll see the Ghastly Ghoul pumpkins. You have two missions here, keep your own pumpkins safe...and smash those of your rivals. The first team to have all their precious crops turned to bits will lose immunity and have to vote someone out of this game."

"Okay, fine," Michelle stated before marching over to the Ghastly Ghouls' pumpkins and stomping on them.

"HEY!" Chloe snapped.

Ada and Emily rushed to either side of Michelle and tried to pull her back.

"That is not fair!" Chloe exclaimed. "We hadn't even started yet. We should get a freebie to make up for that."

"Here at Total Drama, we appreciate taking initiative," Chris said. "No freebies, you'll just have to be more cunning!"

"Can't believe this," Chloe grumbled under her breath.

"Have fun, kids!" Chris exclaimed.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Michelle-** I am used to hunting the most dangerous beings that stalk this earth. If you think I will have any trouble hunting some measly plants, you have another thing coming.

 **Marky-** Taking a glance at the other team I noticed Marlon was the one to get cut. Not who I would have expected, he was always such a take charge guy. Maybe he rubbed some people the wrong way? I'm not complaining, I was going to have to dethrone him sooner or later, looks like someone beat me to it.

 **Mimi-** After the disaster of last round, I really need this win, so no messing around this time! Luckily this challenge seems pretty straightforward and we've got Beast-Mode Michelle on our side, but I'm ready to do my part too!

* * *

Michelle continued to glare at the Ghastly Ghouls and their patch of pumpkins. Chloe and Ada returned her gaze, holding their ground.

"You cannot stop me," Michelle stated. "Any attempts to struggle will end with little gain, but much pain for you. I don't use deadly force on humans, but I am quite capable of the next best thing. Is it really something you wish to risk?"

"To provide a minor inconvenience to someone like you?" Ada replied. "Absolutely."

"The rest of you," Chloe ordered, "get our cargo out of here!"

"On it!" Marky exclaimed as he scooped up one of the smaller pumpkins.

"Up here," Seth called from a tree branch. "Nature provides the best shelter of all."

"Works for me!" Marky said as he tossed the pumpkin up to Seth.

Emily clutched three pumpkins at once and struggled to waddle away from the group.

"Let me help!" Jeffrey offered as he took off his hat, presenting it to Emily.

"Are you sure there's room in there?" Emily asked skeptically.

"Hm...you're right, better clear some space," Jeffrey said as he reached in and pulled out a unicycle which he dropped on the ground. "I never use that thing anyways...I guess you could say I got….TIRED of it! OOOMPH WHOOO HOO HOO HIPPITY HAP HAR HARH! TIRED! Like the...LIKE...because there's a tire in it!"

"Less funny, more runny," Emily said as she shoved all the pumpkins into the hat, which Jeffrey flopped back on his head.

Bailey clutched two larger pumpkins close to his chest as he took off to flee.

"Don't worry, my new friends, I'll keep you safe and sound!" Bailey promised. "I think I will call you...Ichabod, and I will call you...Cinderella!"

"Oh no you don't!" Terra exclaimed as she ran up to join in the fray.

The girl grabbed a small stone which she tossed with precision. It collided with one of the pumpkins in Bailey's arms which instantly splattered.

"Nooooo!" Bailey sobbed as he dropped to his knees. "Cinderella...you were so young, so innocent...I failed you!"

Terra tossed another stone, but Emily leaped in the way to intercept it.

"Bailey…" she wheezed weakly. "Don't let my sacrifice be in vain."

"You're right...I've still got Ichabod, I won't fail you!" Bailey promised.

Chloe and Ada both clamped onto either side of Michelle, trying to hinder her from getting closer. She slammed the two bodies together and left them in a daze. As she stepped forward, she narrowed her eyes at the scattering Ghouls fleeing with their pumpkins.

"The hunt is afoot," she stated grimly.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Seth-** Such needless destruction of beautiful gifts from the earth. Why destroy one of the small wonders to be found in such a dire land?

 **Bailey-** I am going to provide a good life for Ichabod! He deserves it! Maybe one of these days he'll end up a Jack-O-Lantern or a Pumpkin Pie and be the hero the holiday needs! (wipes tear)

 **Jeffrey-** (adjusting hat) Well, at least it's nice to know my head is good for storing something now...EEEEEEEH HEY HEY HEY HAAAYO! GAAAAAH HEE HI HO HUP HUP GET IT!? Cause I got no brains! (taps on forehead) See!? Nothing up there! I'm just a plain old fool. AAAAAH HEP HYUCK FOOSH!

* * *

The Devilish Demons watched as Terra and Michelle chased after the fleeing Ghouls.

"Alright everyone, this is our chance to spread out and keep our pumpkins hidden," Mimi encouraged.

"Not a problem, I am a master of stealth," Zach exclaimed.

"It's too bad you can't hide your massive ego though," Mimi replied with a scowl.

"Yeah yeah you guys hate each other, save it for the vote...which we won't be attending if we win this thing!" Sybil said.

"I'm on it!" Rory exclaimed, picking up a pumpkin, but immediately stumbling and dropping it landing on top, crushing the fruit beneath him.

"New rule...you can't help at all. Please!" Sybil said as she picked up Rory.

The group other than Rory began carrying their pumpkins and spreading out into the woods. Mimi had soon lost sight of the others and found herself moving as fast as she could through the thick patch of trees. Hopping over the twisted roots, she noticed an opening beneath some of the trees that could provide some shelter. She bent over to investigate.

"Hm, I wonder if this would make a suitable hiding spot," she mused to herself.

"Would probably need some camouflage, but could work," someone said behind her.

Mimi flipped around in a shock to see Zach examining the same hole.

"Oh you!" Mimi said angrily. "Did you miss the whole meaning of splitting up? It means not following me! Now if anyone finds us they'll be able to take us both out."

"Or, we put our heads together and no one ever finds us," Zach said. "Come on, let me help."

"The last time I let you 'help' I ended up instantly regretting it," Mimi huffed. "You'll probably just try to sabotage me again."

"What could I possibly have to gain from sabotaging my own team?" Zach asked. "We're both playing for immunity, remember?"

"I don't know, maybe so you can make another big flashy move!?" Mimi scoffed.

"Really? Is that what you think of me?" Zach asked with mock offense.

"Yes," Mimi replied dryly.

"Fair," Zach said. "But I'm not going anywhere so either we keep on bickering like sitting ducks, or I gather up some leaves and we work on this camouflage plan."

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Sybil-** So Mimi and Zach hate each other now, or at least Mimi hates him, Zach likes to act like he's above it all. I don't really care, so long as they don't let it ruin our chances in the challenge. Once merge comes having an ongoing feud just means they'll be less attention on me, so I love it.

 **Zach-** What can I say, I guess I'm just drawn to Mimi. Our fates are intertwined, in this game and in life. She can be mad if she wants, but I intend to make the most of the situation.

 **Rory-** It's uh...probably best if I just mind myself this round. I'm grateful to have been spared last round, but I can't help but feel like there's only so many screwups even my own allies will overlook.

* * *

Michelle marched through the woods with purpose and determination. She crouched down and inspected the ground, examining a trail of confetti.

"You can't hide from me," she growled.

"HO HO HO HO, I THINK I CAN!" she heard Jeffrey's billowing voice come from a log.

"You fool!" Michelle exclaimed as she stamped firmly on the log.

However the wood shattered to reveal nothing inside.

"Did I forget to mention that I am a master of THROWING MY VOICE!?" Jeffrey cackled. "HA HA HA HEEEE I'M SO FORGETFUL I MUST HAVE AMNESIA OR SOMETHING!? YEEEEEEEEEE AMENSIA!? HAAAA HOOO HOW ARE YOU NOT LAUGHING RIGHT NOW!?"

Michelle spun around in a circle as the clown's voice came from every different direction. She clenched her teeth in frustration. However, she then noticed his familiar hat poking out from behind a set of shrubs. The girl allowed herself a triumphant grin as she crept towards the bush.

"Aha!" she exclaimed as she punched through the leaves, only to find nothing on the other side.

"Ooh so close!" Jeffrey exclaimed as his head popped up from a nearby boulder.

Michelle rolled over to the boulder and kicked it aside, only to find that the clown had disappeared again.

"You almost had me that time!" Jeffrey laughed, waving from inside of a dead tree.

Michelle drew her blade and sliced the tree from the base, causing it to tumble to the ground.

"Now I'm back here!" Jeffrey said from the shrubs once more.

"Curse you, trickster demon!" Michelle exclaimed angrily.

Meanwhile, Terra was following a different route as she hunted for her targets. She moved at a vigorous pace, just short of running, keeping her eyes focused for any signs of movement. Eventually she noticed a trace of Marky's distinctive hair moving between the trees.

"Now I got you," she said to herself as she moved in to attack.

Marky was not moving nearly as fast as her, no doubt struggling with the added weight of his cargo. Terra was soon able to bridge the gap between them and pounce on the boy, knocking him to the ground.

"Ha!" Terra exclaimed; however as she turned Marky around she saw that he wasn't even holding any pumpkins. "What!?"

"Sorry, hun," Marky replied. "You're not the only one who can set a trap."

"What are you talking about?" Terra scoffed.

However she soon got her answer as Seth released a large branch he had been holding back from atop a tree. It swung like a slingshot, smacking Terra and knocking her back.

"Take that!" Marky exclaimed.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Michelle-** Evidently this jester is fused with the dark arts, it is the only explanation. He just became my prime target ,and he shall rue the day he thought he could best me.

 **Seth-** It feels wrong to manipulate the trees to my bidding...but seeing as that bidding is to protect these dear pumpkins, I believe it is acceptable.

 **Terra-** So it's a fight they want, eh? Well I'll show them exactly what I've got!

* * *

Sybil was struggling to even keep up a walking pace as she gripped two pumpkins close to her body.

"Whoa boy, this running business is no joke," she groaned as she leaned against a tree. "How do people do this on the regular? WHO would do this on the regular?"

"Hello there, Sybil," Ada stated as she slowly approached the out of breath girl.

"Oh it's you," Sybil sighed. "Look, I may not appear like much right now, but if you take one more step, I will mess you up!"

"You know I specialize in seeing through myths, misconceptions, and lies, right?" Ada pointed out. "And right now you're more transparent than anything I've come across."

"Oh so you think you're so big and badass with your carefully thought out insults," Sybil scoffed. "You know, let me tell you I am not impressed or-"

"You might want to turn around," Ada suggested.

"Why would I want to turn around!?" Sybil snapped. "Is there some sort of-Oh goddammit!"

Sybil turned to see that Chloe had already snatched her pumpkins and was smashing them against the ground.

"Come on!" Sybil groaned.

"You never stood a chance," Chloe remarked.

"You're probably right," Sybil said with a shrug. "I tried...marginally."

Meanwhile, Bailey was lifting his pumpkin over his head while tiptoeing from one hiding spot to the next.

"Pure stealth, pure silence," he told himself. "I am one with the wind, I am invisible. No one can see me...be one with the air around me."

"Hey, Bailey," Rory greeted.

"Abort, abort!" Bailey exclaimed as he shoved his pumpkin under his arm and dived behind a stump.

"It's okay," Rory sighed. "Even if I wanted to cause any trouble for you, it would probably just end badly for me."

"Oh okay," Bailey said as he came up from his hiding spot. "So, how have you been, buddy?"

"Can't complain," Rory said with a shrug. "They haven't voted me out yet."

"That's good, that's good," Bailey said, nodding. "Keep up the good work, keep the power of friendship on your side!"

"I'll try," Rory said, "I think uh...people are kind of mad about Marlon getting voted out...but well, he was voting for me, so they can't be...that mad, you know?"

"Sounds like you did what you had to survive," Bailey said. "Princess Kokomo would be blessed to have a resilient soldier such as you at her side!"

"Well uh..I'm not so sure about that, but thanks," Rory said. "How are you doing?"

"I think I should be in the clear," Bailey said, "but...you can never be sure now can you? These people are kind of crazy, which of course is all fine and good...except it makes it kind of confusing to know what to expect."

"I know the feeling," Rory sighed.

"Luckily Rojo's nose is on the job and with his puppy intuition we'll sniff out the right way to go I'm sure," Bailey said. "We'll be back in action at the merge soon enough, I know it!"

"Let's hope so," Rory said.

"Awwweeeee!" Emily suddenly exclaimed, pulling the two boys into a hug as she ran up to join the meeting. "A scandalous intertribal reunion!? That's too cute! But quick...let's scatter before anyone gets jealous of the unbreakable friendship going on here!"

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Bailey-** I'm glad to get the chance to speak with Rory again and give a reminder to both of us that we've got that friendship bond still going on, even from different teams. I have all of my hope that we'll be back on the same side come merge, since friendship overcomes any boundaries and all distance!

 **Rory-** It's nice to see Bailey again, and glad to know I can rely on him if I do crawl my way to merge...but uh I hope no many others saw. Emily is right, people might be suspicious and I don't need to give them any more reasons to look at me as a target.

 **Emily-** It's so sweet that Rory and Bailey are still on good terms, but they can't forget about ME! Um, I'm an integral part of this circle of love as well and if they think I'm just going to step aside for their bromance, guess again!

* * *

Jeffrey sprinted through the woods, occasionally glancing behind in fear of being pursued. Eventually he slowed down his pace as he seemed to elude his hunter.

"Hello," Seth greeted from atop a tree, balancing his pumpkins in a stack.

"Well HEEEEEY there!" Jeffrey greeted. "Looks like you've managed to stay….ON TOP OF THINGS! HOOO HOOO HOOP DE WHOO JA HIHIHIHIHI!"

"Mm...I suppose that's true," Seth said with a gentle nod.

"I was getting chased by this psycho lady, but I think I lost her now," Jeffrey recapped.

Suddenly a series of arrows rained down on the two boys. Each pierced one of Seth's pumpkins, sending them falling to the ground and meeting a grisly fate.

"You thought wrong," Michelle said from a different tree, now armed with a bow.

"Tragic," Seth said sadly as he looked down at the splattered mess of orange on the ground.

"You'll never take me alive!" Jeffrey exclaimed as he took off running.

"I don't need to," Michelle said as she lunged after the clown. "Have it your way then."

As Jeffrey sprinted, a banana peel flipped out of his pocket and landed in front of him, causing him to slip and follow forward hitting the ground rough.

"HA...no dummy, no the time for that!" Jeffrey scolded himself.

Michelle swiped the hat off of Jeffrey and began to reach inside. She pulled out a stuffed bear, a pineapple, a ridiculously long scarf, a birdcage with live pigeons inside, a dictionary, a balloon giraffe, and finally the stack of pumpkins which she promptly smashed to bits.

"You're in luck...you'll live," Michelle said sternly.

"Oh you're not the boss of that!" Jeffrey retorted as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a Tide™ pod which he swallowed.

He immediately began gagging up sudsy bubbles at an alarming rate.

"Graggdjfkdgf akhg lsadfh asdfkhl askhA ads!" Jeffrey garbled out while giving a thumbs up before collapsing.

"You're pathetic," Michelle scoffed.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Jeffrey-** Forget about drugs, kids, the real lesson from this is Winners Don't Use Suds.

 **Michelle-** I knew they wouldn't be able to escape me for long. No one ever can.

* * *

Ada and Chloe walked together, searching the woods for any of the others.

"No sign of them," Ada noted. "Ugh, where could they have gotten to?"

"It's a big island," Chloe said. "Just keep looking."

"There's only so far they could have gotten," Ada mentioned. "Surely we'll see some sign of them soon."

"Wait, wait...there," Chloe said as she pointed to a section of brambles that had been recently trampled. "I think we're closing in!"

The two increased their pace. The grounded started to get less solid as they followed their trail and began splashing through mud. This would eventually lead them to the bank of a river. In the middle of the running water they saw Grace standing on a stone with her two pumpkins in hand.

"Hello," Grace greeted.

"You look like you're stuck," Ada noted smugly.

"On the contrary, I am exactly where I need to be," Grace replied. "I believe this location will provide the most difficulty in reaching me, and thus is the safest point to remain."

"Well we'll just see about that," Chloe said as she leapt into the water.

She was immediately swept up by the current and pulled in the opposite direction. Grace tilted her head, following Chloe as she vanished from view, before challenging Ada to try the same.

"Work smart, not fast," Ada said as she rolled a log off the side of the bank into the water, creating a bridge. "Aha!"

"Hm," Grace noted, before kicking at the log, dislodging it and causing it to be swept down the river as well. "I applaud your efforts but-"

"Oh shush," Ada said as she grabbed a pinecone and tossed it at Grace's forehead.

The girl swerved to dodge, but ended up losing her grip on her pumpkins and dropping them into the river.

"Well played," Grace replied.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Grace-** I had a well thought-out approach to this challenge...unfortunately, there were certain aspects that I should have accounted for better. Now I know for the future.

 **Ada-** Sometimes the simplest solution is the right one, and more people would do good to remember that.

* * *

Bailey and Emily now walked side by side, leaving behind Rory. Bailey had his one remaining pumpkin tucked safely under his arms.

"It's good to see Rory survived the last vote," Emily said. "I was so worried about him, you know, like I couldn't sleep, except maybe it looked like I was sleeping, but really I just had my eyes closed but behind my eyes...endless nightmares!"

"I uh...wait, wouldn't you have to be asleep to be having nightmares?" Bailey asked.

"It was the waking kind of nightmare, Bailey!" Emily exclaimed. "The kind where I just couldn't stop thinking about what if they were going to vote out my dear friend, one of the most precious people I've ever met in my life! He was probably so lost, so scared, he had no one! I should have been there, Bailey! I should have been a better friend!"

"You know, Sybil was there too, right," Bailey pointed out.

"Pfft, Sybil?" Emily scoffed before adding, "Who I also care about very deeply, but let's be real, Bailey, they were both probably so lost, so confused, not knowing what would happen. And yet, somehow, by some miracle, they survived. It really gives me a feeling like this was meant to be, you know? Really makes you think that this is an alliance that will take us to the end of the game, I could never imagine voting any of you guys."

"Aw, I'm glad to hear it!" Bailey said. "I don't ever want-"

"Of course, we'll have to vote Sybil once we reach the final four," Emily said. "Though it pains me with the ache of a thousand daggers through my heart to even speak such a thought...but I must! For if not then...who will!?"

"Aie...that's a lot of daggers," Bailey noted.

"And I can feel each and every one of them!" Emily exclaimed.

Suddenly an arrow just barely missed the top of Bailey's head and struck a tree.

"But I do not need an arrow through the heart thank you very much!" Emily exclaimed.

The two glanced back to see Michelle behind them.

"Give up now or next time I won't miss," Michelle threatened.

"You're not hurting Ichabod!" Bailey cried as he took off running.

"If you want to get to my friend, you'll need to go through me," exclaimed Emily as she stood in front of Michelle and clenched her teeth. "Take one more step and I will finish you!"

Michelle slapped Emily aside with ease.

"And I'm never doing that again," Emily groaned as she hit a tree.

Michelle sprinted after Bailey, who was unable to keep up anywhere close to his pursuer's pace. Bailey soon collapsed and Michelle was able to catch up and stand over him.

"Please have mercy!" Bailey sobbed. "Haven't you ever loved anything before in your life!?"

"That is a pumpkin, it can't feel love," Michelle stated.

"You don't know that!" Bailey sobbed.

"It's a risk I'm willing to take," Michelle said as she impaled the pumpkin with her saber.

"Well looks like that about does it for the Ghastly Ghouls," Chris exclaimed as he and Chef suddenly emerged on the scene. "And the last few Demons can show themselves now."

Mimi and Zach crawled out of their covered hole in the ground, holding up their pumpkins victoriously.

"Whoa ho, you two getting awful comfy together, aren't you?" Sybil remarked as she eyed the two.

"That's disgusting," Mimi scoffed.

"Yeah yeah, we all know how hatesex works," Sybil remarked. "It's repulsive, and yet we keep going back. Mysteries of the world and all that."

"With that being said, Ghastly Ghouls you guys lost the challenge and will be voting someone else out tonight!" Chris exclaimed. "Get ready for that and I'll be seeing you soon!"

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Mimi-** Well this is certainly a relief, and made it worth having to spend the whole challenge in a small space with Zach. Ugh but I'm going to need therapy to get that memory out of my system.

 **Marky-** Time to vote, time to play with fire. I know this won't be too easy on me, but it's a chance to show what I've got and I intend to rise to the occasion.

 **Ada-** I am not worried about this vote. It's clear what needs to happen now. The merge is approaching, Marlon is already gone, so now it's time to remove Marky from the picture altogether. I feel that I've done enough to secure myself a good position on this team, and I don't need him messing it up for me in the future.

* * *

Ada approached Jeffrey who seemed to be coughing up the remains of his consumed soap.

"Um hello there..Jeffrey," Ada greeted.

"That's my name don't wear it out!" Jeffrey exclaimed. "Though come to think of it, there must be thousands of people named Jeffrey out there right now, having their names spoken each and every day, wearing it out little by little-"

"Yes yes very concerning," Ada said, "but not as pressing as this vote! Now I'm sure you'll recall how I was...so quick to help offer my insight with your little problem yesterday."

"I don't recall anything of the sort!" Jeffrey replied.

"What!?" Ada snapped. "Don't-"

"But I remember my BIG PROBLEM!" Jeffrey exclaimed. "You helped save my life! There is nothing little about that!"

"Well um...I won't disagree with that," Ada said. "But now it's your turn to offer some help in return. Quite simply, I wish to send out Marky this round and I hope to have your vote in on that."

"You can count on me!" Jeffrey exclaimed.

"Good," Ada said as she turned to leave," Glad we-"

"Or can you!? OOOOOH SUSPENSE!" Jeffrey exclaimed.

"Wait, are you with me or not?" Ada asked.

"Oh I'm with you alright," Jeffrey said with a sinister tone. "I'm with you...to the end! HEEE HEE HEE! Take what you want from that!"

"Can't you just gave me a straight answer?" Ada groaned.

"Why? Do you have something against the gay answers?" Jeffrey accused.

"You are impossible," Ada groaned.

"Very true!" Jeffrey agreed.

Meanwhile, Bailey was approached from either side by Seth and Marky.

"Oh uh...hi guys!" Bailey exclaimed. "So nice to see you again!"

"Your body language seems to say the opposite, you are very tense," Seth noted.

"Oh you know...just sucks that we have to vote," Bailey sighed.

"True," Marky agreed, "but I'll keep it simple for you and tell you exactly what I'm thinking. Actually you already know it, but Ada? Come on, it's the perfect move for you. Chloe can't hold it against you, you'd be right in the middle."

"Well uh...mhm yes that does sound logical," Bailey said. "But sometimes friendship defies logic. Chloe is still my friend."

"Am I not your friend?" Marky asked.

"Well uh...well yes, we're all friends here," Bailey said.

"Indeed we are!" Emily exclaimed, suddenly inserting herself into the conversation. "And friends don't vote each other out. Ever."

"That premise is flawed by the very nature of the game," Marky pointed out.

"Shh, shh, don't kill this feel good moment," Emily exclaimed.

"Emily could you just...stand over there for a bit?" Marky asked. "I don't really trust that you won't just sell everything out to Chloe, who you claim is your 'best friend above everyone else even my other best friends.' "

"I...did say that didn't I," Emily noted. "But obviously don't take it too seriously, I just get so swept up in positive feelings, sometimes I get a bit ahead of myself."

Marky gestured for her to shoo.

"Just remember what I said earlier!" Emily exclaimed.

"Okay look, we can take out Ada here, with your vote we just need Jeffrey," Marky said to Bailey.

"Or Emily," Seth added.

"True, but no matter what she says, I never know what to believe. She's a bigger wildcard than the clown at this point," Marky noted.

"I...will think about it," Bailey conceded.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Bailey-** (facing Gentle Spring) Gah, Gentle Spring, when did friendship become so...complicated! Everyone wants to be my friend...or at least wants my vote. No matter what I do I'm having to let someone down, that's not fair...there has to be a solution here.

 **Ada-** I shouldn't need Jeffrey's vote for this, but better safe than sorry. Seth and Marky have always been close, so I may be burning that bridge, but I am being honest to all the rest so this should overall be a net gain for me. So long as these fools don't blow it up.

 **Emily-** Tee hee, I've planted my seeds. Soon the ball will be rolling to take out Ada, and oh, well little old me just got swept up in it all, it's not my fault people decided to make a big move. I'm so good at this game.

* * *

Ada had regrouped with Chloe and was walking by her side now.

"So, how are things looking?" Chloe asked.

"I've been spreading the word to get out Marky," Ada said. "No clue on the clown, but I can't see any reason why the sane people would be against it."

"You can never be sure with some of these people," Chloe said. "But from all you've said, Marky sounds like he'll be trouble if we let him make merge."

"Indeed," Ada said. "He definitely won't be afraid to flip, especially if Grace remains. He's a hazard to have around, and if we're voting someone out it only makes sense for it to be him."

"All good by me," Chloe said. "I'm under no illusion we're going to have an easy time for the second half of the game, so I'd like to eliminate as many risks as possible while we can."

"Hey guys, great planning going on here, I can just feel that genius energy pulsating into the air!" Emily exclaimed, throwing her arms around both girls. "Let's get out those risks, let's make them rue the day they thought they could break our unbreakable friendship!"

"Do you even know who we're voting?" Ada asked.

"Please, as if our minds haven't already become linked by how close we are," Emily exclaimed. "There's no way we're not all thinking the same thing, which is...voting for...Mmm….Marky?"

"Lucky guess," Ada sighed.

"Hey Ada, since we all trust each other so much, could you go somewhere else and trust that me and Chloe aren't having a secret conversation that involves you?" Emily asked.

"That doesn't make any sense at all," Ada scoffed.

"Oh no it's totally something all trusting friends do," Emily assured. "In fact I was just doing the same thing with….er….absolutely no one."

"Fine whatever I need to confirm the plan with Bailey anyways," Ada said.

"Bye best friend, take care!" Emily exclaimed with a wave before turning to Chloe. "Chloe, my trust friend, my one trust angel above all else, I have to know...hypothetically, how would you feel if Ada were to...not be here...on the island...after tonight?"

"What!? Are you trying to tell me you want to vote off Ada?" Chloe snapped. "That's insane!"

"No! No no no, of course not, no, just no, Chloe, Chloe, my friend, my treasure, the keeper of my heart, you know I would never ever ever...ever ever...do anything that would upset you...ever," Emily vowed. "I said hypothetically, like purely speculation here."

"Well you wouldn't be speculating that unless you thought there was a chance it could happen," Chloe said sternly. "So either you're considering going behind my back with this vote, or you know something I don't."

"Not at all!" Emily exclaimed. "It's just a thought, you know me, I have all these wild thoughts in my mind, like oh what if they had shoes purely made of gel, what if they changed traffic laws so we have to switch our roads like England, what if Ada were to randomly and suddenly get voted out? Just purely random thoughts that pop into my mind, and I thought to bring it to you, my most trusted friend, for some stimulated input."

"Well I would say it would be a terrible move since it would remove someone who I've been working to win over and leave in a number of potential wildcards which would leave us in a very precarious position for the future," Chloe stated.

"Hm...very true," Emily said with a nod. "I was thinking the exact same thing."

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Ada-** There really shouldn't be much debate here, I'm not sure what has Emily so hopped up..she's just odd. Emily and Bailey both get a leg up by ditching Marky and keeping the cards in their favor. I know this much, and it's a risk I am willing to take, as I believe it will benefit me more in the long run.

 **Chloe-** Emily...I don't know with her sometimes. I wish I knew how her mind works, since she just says strange things. She's a puzzle alright, but hopefully I'll be able to keep her grounded long enough to not lose her mind.

 **Emily-** So Chloe...is not as receptive to the seed planting. It makes sense for _her_ to keep Ada around, but me? I've already got my alliance with Bailey, Rory, and Sybil set, and I trust I'll be able to ride safe and sound with that for the near future. Of course I can't tell Chloe that part though, I would seem so selfish, and like what kind of friend would I be, putting my own needs above hers?

* * *

Marky and Seth spotted Jeffrey again and the two glanced at each other.

"Well, here we go again?" Marky said with a hopeless expression.

"The man who speaks to the mountain can have great conversations if he enjoys the sound of echoes," Seth offered.

"Thanks, man, thanks," Marky sighed.

Marky then walked up to wave at Jeffrey.

"HEEEEY there, good friend!" Jeffrey greeted.

"Uh yes, hi, that's right, we are good friends," Marky said. "And you know, I've always found you so hilarious."

"I did NOT know that," Jeffrey exclaimed, "But I am thrilled to hear it. Hey how about a new joke right now!? Okay you're gonna love this...Why did the chicken cross the road!?"

"Uh...to get to the other side?" Marky tried.

"NO!" Jeffrey laughed, while punching Marky in the stomach. "Because he wanted to explore new horizons! GAAAAAAAAAH HAAAAAAH HAAAAA HAAAAAH IP IP IP YA YA YA YA YA YAAAAAY YEAH MHM OH YES HEE HEE HEE HEE!"

"Ha…" Marky forced himself to laugh.

"See that's what we call an anti-joke!" Jeffrey explained. "It's not funny...and that's what makes it funny! OOOOOOH WHOOP WHOOP HAPPITY HACK HYUCK HICK HOCK HAAAAAA!"

"I see," Marky replied. "Good joke...but now I'm hoping we could talk about the vote."

"Well butter me up and call me corn, cause I'm all ears!" Jeffrey exclaimed.

"Oh good," Marky said. "I was thinking we could have the power to vote out Ada here. With your vote it should be possible, and I think it's the right move for all of us."

"HA HA HA HEE HEE HEE HI HI HI HI HO HO HO UHGH UGHGHUG GRAA HAP HAR HANK HOP FAAAAA LA LA LA LA RO HO HO HO HO!" Jeffrey laughed maniacally. "Ah...good joke."

"Um, I wasn't joking," Marky said uncertainly.

"Oh ho, trying your hand at the anti-joke," Jeffrey said, while jabbing his elbow against Marky's ribs. "I like your ambition."

"So, you'll vote that way?" Marky asked.

"WELL that would be spoiling the punchline now wouldn't it!?" Jeffrey exclaimed.

From the bushes, Ada glared at the two talking.

"What is going on over there?" she said to herself.

She pulled back and crept away from the meeting. Soon she had met up with Bailey, Chloe, and Emily again.

"We may have a concern," Ada said. "I just saw Marky talking with Jeffrey. Not sure about what, but Jeffrey seemed to be having a good time."

"You think they're in cahoots?" Chloe asked.

"I think there's enough of a possibility to be worried," Ada said.

"But we obviously don't have anything to worry about because the four of us are all voting together no matter what right!?" Emily exclaimed cheerfully.

Chloe, Bailey, and Ada all exchanged silent glances.

"Well uh guys...here's just a thought," Bailey said. "Why are we all worried about what Jeffrey will do...when we could just take him out?"

"That...is true," Chloe said with a nod.

"But is that really what we want to do?" Ada asked.

"Look into your heart and I think you'll find the answer you knew all along," Emily said with her hand on Ada's shoulder.

" How about I look into my brain and come up with a rational decision?" Ada countered.

"Yeah sure whatever works for you," Emily replied.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Marky-** Well this is really quite frustrating. I am relying on Bailey, Jeffrey, and Emily to pull off this move...and it just show happens they're all the most frustratingly unreliable people possible. Great! (smiles crazily)

 **Chloe-** If we're talking wildcards...Jeffrey certainly is one too, and I haven't forgotten that he voted me before!

 **Ada-** Hm, strategically speaking, I think Marky poses the bigger threat if he survives...on the other hand, Jeffrey is really really annoying.

* * *

(Elimination)

Seth, Emily, Bailey, Jeffrey, Marky, Chloe, and Ada entered the ceremonial platform and took their seats.

"Welcome, Ghastly Ghouls!" Chris greeted. "This is your second elimination now, any thoughts on why you guys are here!?"

"Eh, I'd say Michelle," Marky suggested.

"Michelle is scary!" Emily exclaimed.

"She's a monster!" Bailey sobbed. "Poor Cinderella and Ichabod didn't deserve such a cruel fate!"

"She's not so tough," Chloe scoffed.

Everyone glared at her.

"What!?" Chloe said with a shrug.

"Last time you were here, the vote was near unanimous for Darren," Chris said, "are you going to stay so united this time?"

"Of course, Chris!" Emily exclaimed. "Unlike the other team who I can only assume is a total and complete mess and NOT because I got intel from someone during the challenge, we here have a foundation build on trust, openness, and togetherness."

"Except for the person you're voting out," Chris pointed out.

"They understand their place in maintaining the peace," Emily said. "Or they will once they get eliminated."

"So if it were you going home, you'd just be at peace with it?" Chris asked.

"Well that question is moot because that would never happen, duh," Emily replied.

"Of course," Chris said, unconvinced. "So does seeing the results of the Devilish Demons' elimination affect how you approach this vote?"

"Not really," Chloe said with a shrug. "They've got their business and we've got ours."

"Marlon was a big force back on the Legends," Ada said. "But that time is over and him leaving sort of serves as a reminder that things aren't going to just fall back into place at the merge."

"Well let's hope you make the right decision then," Chris said, "because it's time to vote!"

Jeffrey got up and walked to the separated section to cast his vote…

* * *

(Later)

"Alright, we got the votes!" Chef barked.

"Same old rules, you don't want your name coming up," Chris said. "The player with the most votes will be sent into the pit of despair."

"First vote," Chef read, "...Jeffrey!"

"Hey, that's me!" Jeffrey exclaimed.

"Second vote...Jeffrey!" Chef continued.

"That's also me!" Jeffrey exclaimed.

"Third vote...Seth!"

"Yikes," Seth remarked.

"Fourth vote…" Chef said, "And Fifth, Sixth and Seventh…"

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

...

…

…

…

….

"EMILY!"

Everyone glared at Jeffrey who had broken the silence.

"Ha ha ha GOTCHA! OOOH HEE HEE HEE HI HI HI HI!" Jeffrey cackled.

"As I was saying," Chef grumbled angrily. "All the rest of the votes are for Jeffrey."

"Ooooh looks like you finally got me!" Jeffrey exclaimed as he got up. "Good game!"

"Jeffrey, the votes are clear, it's time for you to go," Chris said as he guided the clown to the hole.

"So long, kids!" Jeffrey exclaimed. "Remember...you'll see me again...when you least expect it! MOOOO HOOO HOOH HU HU HU HU HA HA HA WAA HA HA HA WEH HEH HEH HEH IYIYIYIYIY YEP YEP OOH WHAP WHAP WHAPO GRAFF FRNK GREEEE HEEE HEEH HYUCK HYUCK AIIEEEEEEE EHP EHP EHP AHAH AHAH HAHA OH HO HO HO WHOOOOP DEE DOOOOP!"

Chef shoved Jeffrey into the pit, knocking off his hat in the process.

"Well, glad we never have to hear that laugh again," Chris said in relief. "But congratulations to the six of you on surviving that vote and making it another day out here on Spooky Island!"

"Uh Chris…" Chef said, pointing behind the post.

A flurry of balloons emerged from the pit, lifting Jeffrey back up.

"Forgot my hat," he said as he picked up the top hat and placed it back on his head. "WHOO HOOO HOO HOO HEEE HEE HEE AAAGH AAAGH HEEEEEE HAAA HIIII HOOO HUUUU HYEEEE HYACK HYACK HIIIII!"

"Chef!" Chris ordered.

"I'm on it!" Chef said as he used a butcher knife to sever the balloons and send Jeffrey plummeting again.

"Now then, the six of you can head off back to your camp," Chris said.

The group of six got up off their seats and began to depart.

"Oh just one more thing," Chris said."Chef, if you will…"

The group stopped in place, while Chef revealed a large crate. He flipped it open to reveal the Devilish Demons all crammed inside.

"There had better be a damn good reason for this," Sybil grunted with her face squashed between Mimi and Rory.

"Oh there is...the thirteen of you are now officially merged!" Chris exclaimed. "Congratulations, from now on it's an individual game!"

"Eh...acceptable, but I'm still not thrilled about this," Sybil retorted.

"All of you can head back together now as one big happy family!" Chris exclaimed. "You've survived the teams...now you have to survive each other!"

* * *

 **Votes:**

 **Jeffrey-** Eenie Meenie Minie Mo, I'm going to vote for….Seth!

 **Chloe-** Jeffrey, you are the biggest question mark left in the game and I'd like you gone before you can cause any harm.

 **Bailey-** Jeffrey, uh sorry buddy, but well I think this is the best shot I have at keeping everyone happy.

 **Marky-** Jeffrey, I gave you a chance and you didn't take it. So now I'm taking this chance to outlast you, that's the game for you.

 **Seth-** Jeffrey, may you find your place in the circle of life...I don't think it's here.

 **Ada-** Jeffrey, this may not be the logical choice...but it certainly feels right to me!

 **Emily-** Bye Jeffrey! I literally would have kept you safe and you just had to annoy your way straight out of the game. Marvelously done!

* * *

(Conclusion)

"And thus our thirteen survivors have made it to the next stage of the game," Chris exclaimed, "No more legends, nobodies, no more Ghastly Ghouls or Devilish Demons. It's just thirteen teenagers facing off against each other to be the last one standing."

"And who's that gonna be, Chris?" Chef asked. "I'd say Michelle isn't going down without a fight."

"True true," Chris said. "But she'll certainly get a fight from Chloe. And it's not all about the brawn. Marky and Ada have proven to be bringing their brains to the battle, while Mimi and Bailey are bringing an unbreakable spirit."

"Bah, that's only gonna get you so far," Chef remarked.

"But it could make all the difference," Chris said, "We'll just have to wait and see...on the next episode of Total Drama...Legends vs Nobodies!"


	10. Beware the Scarecrow

"Welcome one and all!" Chris McClean announced in the pouring rain. "Chef is just performing a routine exorcism on the cabin. Nothing to be worried about-"

The sound of crashing came from inside the shack.

"Uh...I'm sure he just bumped into a shelf, or something," Chris remarked. "Instead let's turn our attention to our final thirteen which just reached the merge last night! On the Devilish Demons, Mimi was feeling down and out after Marlon was blindsided. Zach and Sybil seemed to be on top of the team, while Terra was feeling a little bit less certain of where she wanted to go from here. Meanwhile on the Ghastly Ghouls, Marky and Ada were both targeting each other, but eventually the vote landed squarely on everyone's least favorite clown, Jeffrey. Now our campers are merged and we've got a whole new lay of drama for them to go through. Should make for some fun-"

Chris was distracted as a bright flow came from the cabin windows as if something was burning inside.

"Uuh...I'm going to just move over here now…" Chris said as he backed away from the building. "Keep watching Total Drama Legends vs Nobodies!"

(Merge)

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Zach-** Last night after Chris made his big announcement, we were all directed to a new larger cabin. Don't get me wrong though, it was bigger but not nicer. If anything it just had more room for drafts and leaks. But we were all beat tired, most of us just went to sleep without saying much else.

 **Mimi-** This merge could not have come a day later. Things were not looking good for me on that team and I have no doubts they would have picked me off. This is such a huge relief now that I've got another chance.

 **Marky-** Last round was...interesting. It was really beginning to look like I didn't have a prayer, but somehow we all just got on the same page to ditch Jeffrey and I managed to slide by. Now they're going to regret it, since I've made merge and I'm going to take every chance I can to cause a little chaos.

* * *

The new cabin was located at the top of a slight hill in the midst of the sea of trees. Inside a wide room were thirteen thin mattresses spread out against the wall, each holding one of the tired players. All but one at least…

"Good morning, everyone!" Emily exclaimed as she brightly walked through the room. "This is just fantastic, isn't it!? All of us...together at last. Now our friendship can truly blossom!"

The other twelve groaned as they awoke to her voice and got out of their beds.

"Do you have to do that right now?" Terra grunted as she shook out her head.

"No, I don't have to, that's the best part...having friends like these makes me want to just sing at the break of dawn!" Emily squealed.

"Well that's uh...very magical," Bailey remarked.

"Agree to disagree," Sybil groaned.

"Come on you guys, this is a great day!" Emily exclaimed. "We survived those teams, we all get to meet now, it's a beautiful day-"

Emily opened the window to reveal pouring rain.

"Okay scratch that last part," Emily said, shutting the window again. "But it's a beautiful day in all our hearts!"

"Well, folks, I think we've found the human embodiment of a Live Laugh Love throw pillow," Sybil remarked.

"You're so funny!" Emily exclaimed. "Hey here's an idea: Let's all stand in a circle and say one thing about ourselves! Doesn't that sound like fun?"

"Not sure you're fully understanding...later tonight, one of us is getting voted out," Marky pointed out. "That's not exactly the most friendly environment."

"That is a really good point," Emily said, not letting her smile falter, "but-"

"Glad you agree, everyone let's get out of here while we can," Sybil said before nearly everyone headed for the door.

"Guys, it's raining out there! Oh wow, really eager to go out and play in the rain then…" Emily noted.

Emily caught up with Grace before she could exit and stood in the doorway.

"Hi there!" Emily greeted brightly. "I'm Emily, it's so nice to finally get to meet you!"

"Yes it is," Grace answered.

"Thank you!" Emily exclaimed.

"You are welcome for meeting you," Grace stated.

"Thank you!" Emily echoed.

"You are welcome for saying you are welcome for meeting you," Grace said in a near identical tone.

Emily just smiled and nodded uncertainly.

"Please move, I expect i will be needed to discuss plans of elimination," Grace said. "And judging by recent actions, I would expect you may need to discuss plans of not being eliminated."

"Aw, you're so sweet to care!" Emily gushed.

"Oh I apologize if I gave that impression," Grace said sincerely. "I don't."

Emily seemed strained to put a positive spin on this. Grace seemed to pick up on her silence.

"Not out of personal spite, of course. I simply don't know you well enough to have formed a sympathetic relationship," Grace said. "Goodbye."

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Emily-** Is everyone here my best friend? Well no. But if they all think that I am their best friend, they'll never vote me out. Like who could vote out someone who is just sweet and kind and sees the best in everyone? No one, there is quite honestly no one in the world who is that heartless unless they're in jail...or dead...and if they were, well I mean...how could they be here? See? Flawless plan.

 **Sybil-** Is it possible she's gotten worse, or has being away from Emily for a week just given me new found appreciation for how absolutely annoying she is?

 **Zach-** The first thing I thought when we saw the other team was...thank god they finally ditched that annoying clown. Unfortunately I think his spirit lives on in Emily now who has no more competition for being the most obnoxious person in this cast.

* * *

"Well, this rain is no joke," Ada remarked as she and Chloe walked through the downpour. "I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth going back to Emily's icebreaker games for some shelter."

Chloe just gave her a side glance.

"You're right, perish the thought," Ada said.

"We can take shelter over here," Chloe said as they neared a willow tree. "See? Completely dry and probably better protection than that leaky shack."

"I better not catch something from this cold," Ada grumbled. "Being out here is miserable enough without having some disease to sap my remaining strength."

"We've made it this far, we can do it," Chloe assured. "I'm more worried about the strategic side of things though. If we don't play this first round right, it could spell disaster for us."

"You think we can pull in some of your old friends?" Ada asked.

"Well…" Chloe considered the question.

"Ah, there you are," Zach exclaimed as he joined the two girls under the tree. "Reunited after all this time and you don't even say hello?"

"Hello," Chloe greeted Zach.

"Already straight to business, same old Chloe," Zach remarked with a patronizing chuckle."A little hurt you're not including me in your schemes, but what else is new?"

"I'm picking up on a lot of sexual tension here," Ada noted.

"Ah, and you must be...Chloe's new best friend," Zach noted, "I didn't catch your name."

"It's Ada!" someone announced from atop the tree.

Everyone looked up to see Grace clinging to one of the branches.

"Are you spying on us?" Ada accused.

"Well sort of," Grace said as she fell from the branch and flopped on the ground. "I was just following people until I could eavesdrop on a potentially important conversation to use as leverage to better my game. Unfortunately, my penchant for answering obvious questions has left me exposed. Hello."

Meanwhile, deeper in the woods, Michelle was marching with purpose while Mimi followed behind her. Michelle stopped and kept still as she stood behind a tree.

"Ah, Michelle!" Mimi greeted. "I really think we need to-"

Before Mimi could finish, Michelle lunged forward, diving into a large thicket of bushes. Mimi sighed and tried to follow after her. The actress waded her way carefully through the brambles and thorns.

"Uh...where'd you go…" Mimi grumbled.

She spotted Michelle further ahead, perched on a rock.

"How did she move that fast?" Mimi sighed.

She caught up with the huntress though and began her spiel again.

"Michelle, I really think we need to talk about what we-" Mimi tried again.

This time Michelle leapt up onto a tree and began to scale upwards.

"I'm sure this is very important, but so is what I'm trying to say," Mimi said as she began to climb up the tree as well. "Michelle! I really think we need to talk about what we are going to do next. If we're not careful we could-"

Michelle dropped from the tree and continued to sprint through the woods.

"If you think I'm getting tired, guess again!" Mimi called. "I once had to recite the same line 156 times, I will get you to listen to me!"

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** I can't afford to stop thinking about the numbers even for a second. Coming into this merge, things aren't ideal for me. I don't know where Seth and Marky are going to fall, and I don't know what the other original Nobodies think of me. Judging by Zach's attitude though, it's as I feared and the trust isn't exactly there. But maybe this is a good thing. It means I have to focus on finding out who I can trust and make sure I get them together now while I have the chance.

 **Zach-** Last time I saw Chloe, she flipped her vote and took out our ally, Darren. I'm over it, but it's still fun to get under her skin. She's already shown that she's an emotional player, so I want to keep her on her toes and see what she does next.

 **Mimi-** Without a doubt, the Nobodies were going to vote me out, and probably Grace and Michelle next if we'd been there any longer. If we don't act now though they'll just carry through. I know that being a former target makes me easy to throw under the bus, but not if I get to bus throwing first!

* * *

After leaving the group at the willow, Grace found Marky and Seth in another sheltered grove.

"Ah yes, the woods offer a tranquil spot of peace, even for its most intrusive of visitors," Seth noted to Marky, while trying to squeeze the water out of his drooping sleeve.

Marky spotted Grace and rushed over to hug her happily.

"I'm so glad you survived over there," Marky exclaimed. "Finally back together!"

"I find this violation of my personal space to be acceptable, due to the level of trust formed in our relationship," Grace replied.

"She must really like you then," Seth noted to Marky. "I certainly would not be quite so comfortable with such a violation."

"The important thing is that the three of us are back together now!" Marky said. "Now we can really do some damage."

"Mm...seeking damage goes against my beliefs," Seth said. "Can't we achieve progress and growth instead?"

"Uh...sure, progress and growth...for us though," Marky said. "I am still an agent of evil here."

"Are you though?" Seth asked.

"In training!" Marky added.

"We all believe you'll get there one day," Grace said. "And by we all, I mean the two of us, I use a broad term to make the encouraging words sound more impressive. And by the two of us, I mean Seth, since I'm not quite sure what I believe."

"I certainly don't think you're capable of evil," Seth added.

"Okay never mind, none of us believe in you, Marky," Grace corrected.

"Okay okay, whatever, the point is we need to get to work," Marky said. "Grace, it's your lucky day, since we're flipping to you."

"Hm...not possible," Grace stated.

"Oh...why not?" Marky asked.

"Because I was planning on flipping to you," Grace said.

"A conundrum to be sure," Seth said while nodding his head. "Two rivers meet...what comes from this joining."

"So you weren't in a great spot either?" Marky asked ."I was hoping maybe you were involved in the Marlon blindside."

"Only unintentionally," Grace replied. "I was not trusted on that team so I must find trust elsewhere."

"Hm...that does put us into a bit of a pickle of a position," Marky sighed.

Meanwhile, Emily, Sybil, and Rory were grouped together in the cabin. Bailey entered, drenched from the rain.

"Okay, Rojo and I have performed the perimeter check, I think it's safe to talk," Bailey assured.

"To be fair, I'm pretty sure Emily made sure no one will ever come near here anyways," Sybil said.

"Oh my gosh, stop, you are too funny!" Emily laughed.

"So uh...um...we're all back together," Rory stated. "That's...pretty good."

"Pretty good? It's downright astounding that you even made it this far, but you're welcome for that," Sybil said.

"Yeah that's uh...true," Rory agreed.

"Well Princess Kokomo is very happy to have the full group back together," Bailey said. "Through teamwork we can do a whole lot of good together."

"I love it!" Emily squealed. "We are going to take this game by storm and no one will ever see it coming!"

"And if they do we'll just blame it all on Rory," Sybil added.

"Oh…" Rory said sadly.

"I don't think we have to worry about that, after all we have the most powerful gift of all...believing in ourselves!" Bailey said.

"Yeah sure whatever, but we've also got connections to pull together," Sybil said. "Zach and Terra would be foolish to turn on me and Rory, mostly me, after everything I did for them!"

"I hope you guys made friends too," Rory said.

"Of course, everyone is my friend!" Emily exclaimed.

"Uh yeah, I think we're okay with our group," Bailey said. "We left on a unanimous vote, so that's a true showing of friendship and unity."

"Mm, boring," Sybil remarked. "Three way split is how it's done on our end."

"Well not to worry, my good friend, Sybil, because me and Barry are here to help you get rid of those pesky people who didn't vote with you!" Emily assured.

"Yeah, if there's anyone who-wait did you just call me Barry?" Bailey asked.

"I did," Emily replied. "I just want all my friends to have their best names, and I think that would be so much more fitting. It's warm and cuddly, consider it!"

"Uh okay…" Bailey said.

"Oh my god, you are literally insane," Sybil groaned. "Tell me, how have you not annoyed everyone to voting you out? How are we even aligned?"

"Again with the jokes!" Emily laughed. "You are on fire!"

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Marky-** I was really planning to just leave behind the Ghastly Ghouls and regroup with Grace and her new friends...problem is she doesn't seem to have any new friends. So what do I want to do here? Work with people who had her in a minority, or work with people who clearly saw me as expendable? Worst part is they could also all team out, and then we're all screwed.

 **Seth-** Marky, Grace, and myself started out in the same little pool of water, but our paths have diverged and now have trickled back together, all the stronger for it. The real mystery that we await to see now is which path shall our combined river take now?

 **Bailey-** I think things were going good for me on the Ghastly Ghouls, but maybe not great. I'm not entirely sure where this leaves Marky and Seth, but like Gentle Spring says, everyone deserves a chance. But she also believes in loyalty and being true to yourself, so that means above all else I'll be sticking with my original alliance, and I think we can do some great things together!

 **Rory-** This alliance came together very early on at the game, and it's kind of shocking we all survived that swap after getting split up. Mostly me. But now that we're here, this is actually kind of...well amazing for us. The swap gave us a chance to strengthen our bonds with who we ended up with, but this group is still holding strong which means we can play both sides. Well hopefully...so long as no one figures it out...then we're screwed.

* * *

Mimi had lost track of Michelle and eventually had to give up on her pursuit. She sighed as she glanced down at herself, soaking wet and covered in brambles and dirt.

"Well that was a total waste of time," she grumbled to herself.

Suddenly she gasped as a flash of light blinded her briefly.

"Perfect!" Zach exclaimed with his camera.

"Oooooh, you!" Mimi said angrily. "You have some nerve trying to get in my face again!"

"I think we've established that I've got more nerve than anyone here," Zach remarked smugly.

"Well I hope you don't think I have anything to say to you, because I am done with that game!" Mimi said angrily.

"Okay, just seems like a mistake for you," Zach replied. "You know, I thought you might be smart enough to realize you don't exactly have a lot of options here. Don't you want to appeal to my heart?"

"You don't have one," Mimi said sharply.

"Harsh." Zach replied with mock pain.

"I don't know who you think you are, but I tried trusting you, you betrayed me, made a fool of me, left me out to dry, and now think you have the right to tell me that it's a mistake to not BEG you to give ME another chance?!" Mimi spat. "You know what, I may not win this game, I haven't had a whole lot go right for me, but if there's one thing I will accomplish, it's making sure that you come to regret making an enemy out of me!"

"Oh boohoo," someone drawled from the side.

Both turned to see Sybil watching the conversation play out.

"Did you get your feelings hurt when we outplayed you?" Sybil scoffed as she approached. "Here's a pinch of life advice, free of charge, just for you: Get. Over. It."

"Don't think you're off my enemies list either," Mimi hissed.

"I'm quaking in fear from the girl who has no allies or power at all in this game. Quaking I say," Sybil replied dryly. "Oh I'm getting a vibe, a premonition of the future...it's you...failing at everything you attempt. Crashing and burning."

"I wouldn't act so cocky if I were you two," Mimi said. "Clearly you aren't the most likable, and if you think you're untouchable, I'd be only too happy to test that theory."

"Go ahead, I'd like to see you try," Sybil challenged.

In another part of the woods, Chloe had split up from Ada and traveling back through the rain.

"Chlooooooeeee!" she heard someone calling.

Emily zoomed towards her like a cat pouncing on its prey.

"Thank goodness we're still together!" Emily exclaimed as she threw her arms around Chloe. "This merge...it's just so much isn't it? It's overwhelming...so much at once! I feel lost, adrift at sea...but then there's you...my rock, my shining light, my beacon who will guide me through to safety!"

"Okay," Chloe replied as she broke free of her embrace.

"You don't have to say it, I know you feel the same way," Emily said, while clutching her heart. "Because we're connected like that, our hearts beat to the same rhythm."

"Of course," Chloe agreed.

"Soooo...what are we planning to do?" Emily asked. "Obviously we're sticking together, like no duh! But someone has to go, and it can't be us, so who will it be!?"

"That's what i'm trying to figure out," Chloe said. "I'm sort of worried about the Demons. I don't trust Zach and i'm worried about them having the numbers over us."

"Well I'm about to make your day with some good news!" Emily exclaimed. "My sources tell me that the other team had a very broken vote. They're a mess!"

"Hm, so you think we could pick someone up from there?" Chloe mused.

"What a great idea!" Emily gasped. "You are like SO smart, I'm in awe!"

"We can still keep the door open to work with the Nobodies," Chloe said, "but I'd like to see if there's any room for us to pull over Michelle, Grace, or Mimi."

"Oooh great call," Emily exclaimed. "I just talked to Grace this morning and she told me she doesn't care about me. So honest, so blunt, so refreshing, I love it!"

"Right...well let's try to change that then," Chloe said.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Mimi-** If Sybil and Zach treat their old allies anything like they've acted towards me...I don't see it being too hard to turn some people against them. I'm not about to take this lying down, if they expect me to just roll over then they've got another thing coming!

 **Sybil-** Mimi thinks she's being so fierce and righteous, but clearly she's still living in her own private world, since she is completely ignoring the facts. What would those facts be? That she has no way of actually following through on her threats and is just making it even easier for us to lock her in as the first boot of this merge.

 **Chloe-** I need to explore every option that's out there right now. Staying stuck in a box is a sure way to leave me cut off. Grace, Mimi, and Michelle are three people I have not met but from what I've heard, they may not have been in a great spot on their last team, which means they're by no means a lost cause for me.

* * *

Mimi continued to fight against the storming rains as she walked backwards the cabin, hardly able to even make out much before her. She did manage to focus on two silhouettes near the cabin door though. As she approached, she could make out Bailey and Rory.

"Hello, gentlemen!" Mimi greeted.

"Oh uh...hello...gentle...woman?" Rory replied.

"I think the correct term is Lady," Bailey said.

"Just Mimi is fine!" Mimi assured.

"Oh good, Princess Kokomo likes to keep things casual anyways," Bailey said. "She's not one for stuffy titles."

"Well...good," Mimi said. "Anyways, I really am glad to get the meet the two of you. It was a shame we kept missing each other with the way these teams worked out."

"Uh...we met before, you know? I was on your team just last round." Rory pointed out.

"Were you? Well you should have spoken up and said something to me then!" Mimi said. "And how about your lovely friend here? Clearly I ought to get to know you a little better!"

"Of course, of course, there's always room in Princess Kokomo's court for new friends!" Bailey exclaimed.

"Good, because I could really use some friends right about now," Mimi sighed. "Not to be a drama queen, but these last few days have truly been awful for me. Almost everyone on that last team lied to me for absolutely no reason! I know I would have been screwed if we had to vote again."

"Ahem!" someone said sternly behind Mimi.

Mimi glanced back to see Terra glaring at her angrily.

"I would love to hear about what lies I told you when we hardly even spoke," Terra said roughly. "And how convenient for you to leave out the part where you voted for me. Yes I had absolutely no reason to just roll over and take that, is that what you're saying?"

"Well, I-" Mimi tried to say.

"Cram it!" Terra snapped as she held a finger to Mimi's lips. "I don't need you twisting the tale anymore than you already have! You, madam, are spreading the most dangerous viral plague of all...misinformation! Get out of here with your lies, get out, get out, get out!"

Terra shoved Mimi aggressively and repeatedly until the girl had no choice but to take off.

"Thank god she's gone," Terra remarked to the boys. "Can you believe her?"

"Uh...yes?" Rory said with confusion.

Terra narrowed her eyes.

"I mean no! Definitely not!" Rory stammered.

"Good," Terra said. "I trust you guys, and I don't need some bottomfeeder like her trying to ruin that. I would really hate to have to kill you, but once the seed of misinformation takes root, sometimes all you can do is burn the whole thing down."

Bailey laughed awkwardly. Terra glared at him and he instantly stopped.

"I didn't even really have any qualms about her before, but desperation is not a good look," Terra grunted.

"Oh dear, that's my default look though…" Rory sighed.

"True, but at least you're too meek to draw attention to yourself," Terra said. "But let's talk real now. Obviously we're working together here, right? We can get through this merge. We all care about each other, and know it right?"

"Right uh...do we know that?" Rory asked.

"I don't show sentiment to other human beings well!" Terra barked. "You know why? Because most human beings I know are pieces of trash! So be just a little bit less of a piece of trash and I won't leave you taped to a chair dangling over a pool of electric eels. That constitutes a pretty caring relationship in my books!"

"Right! Yes! Please don't kill me!" Rory begged.

"I'll think about it," Terra said. "But look, this shouldn't be hard to get the numbers. Sybil and Zach aren't going to turn on us here, we can have a pretty strong grip on how things go if we keep this going."

"And uh just to be clear," Bailey said, "you still don't even care about winning this game?"

"That's right, I don't care about winning this mockery of Western indulgence!" Terra snapped in Bailey's face. "You got a problem with it!?"

"No no! Just uh...checking," Bailey stammered.

"Consider the matter...checked," Terra grunted.

After being shoved away from the group, Mimi wandered away from the cabin once more. She found Ada taking shelter underneath a fir tree.

"Mimi," Ada greeted curtly.

"Hello, Ada," Mimi replied.

"You're looking absolutely miserable," Ada noted without much compassion.

"Well I just had to spend my last few days with a couple of bullies and now they won't leave me alone!" Mimi bemoaned. "Zach, Sybil, Terra, all awful awful people!"

"Mm, sure," Ada remarked. "I'm pretty sure i had it worse. Emily's nonstop motor mouth was one thing, but nothing compared to the crazy clown."

"At least you survived," Mimi said. "I'm not sure I would have if we stayed there any longer."

"Did I mention the crazy clown? Yeah I still had it worse," Ada stated.

"Well we both made it here," Mimi said. "And you can count on my loyalty. I have nothing going with those miscreants."

"Good," Ada said. "Try sucking up to Chloe. She's the kind of person who acts like she's above it all, but really loves her ego inflated just as much as anyone. I don't think she's particularly rooted in her old team, so we could have a play to make here."

"If it gets me a little payback, I am in!" Mimi exclaimed.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Terra-** I didn't love the Marlon elimination, I'll admit that was a painful decision. But Mimi? She was coming for me! Who does she think she is to try to go to my allies and turn them against me after that!? This is the problem with the world, everyone is telling their own story as if they can do no wrong, and most people are gullible idiots waiting to scoop up what's forced down their throats!

 **Rory-** So uh...this isn't bad at all. It seems like I've got a lot of people wanting to be my ally...but my allies also seem to want to kill me. So it's a bit of a mixed bag maybe.

 **Mimi-** I'm trying to rally the troops here. Sure it might be a bit of a risk to try to get the original Nobodies to turn on each other, but they're not all going to stick together, right? If there's a move to be made, I will jump on board without thinking twice.

 **Ada-** Mimi and I have never been particularly close, but at the same time I haven't had any problems with her either. A bit of a mess, but there are worse things you could be. Mainly though she is prime to be picked up, so don't think I won't let her slip away.

* * *

(Later)

The group of thirteen teenagers met in a slight valley where Chris and Chef where waiting to welcome them.

"Final Thirteen, welcome to your first challenge as a merged group!" Chris exclaimed. "From now on immunity is not for a team but rather for a single individual. Whoever pull off this challenge will be safe from the dreaded merge vote. What do we have in store for you today? Chef…"

"If I can direct your attention," Chef said as he gestured to a lone wooden stake a short distance into the valley. "What do you see here?"

The group was silent at first, in slight confusion.

"It is a post," Grace stated.

"That is correct!" Chris exclaimed.

"Is it a haunted, evil post?" Rory asked nervously.

"No, it's just an ordinary post," Chris stated.

Rory sighed in relief.

"An ordinary post that once held up something haunted and evil!" Chris exclaimed. "Why just the other day, Chef and I set up a scarecrow to get rid of all these pesky birds."

"Yes we did, Chris," Chef recited.

"What birds? The island seems almost totally devoid of natural life," Seth stated.

"That means the scarecrow is doing its job!" Chris said.

"What scarecrow!? It's a piece of wood," Zach pointed out.

"Can everybody shut up and just let me do my spooky pitch!?" Chris snapped.

"I'm going to say no," Grace offered.

"Okay, forget about building the suspense," Chris sighed. "The scarecrow was possessed by a demonic entity and came to life and now seeks to enact bloodthirsty revenge on all of us!"

"Revenge for what?" Mimi asked. "This challenge is just rife with plot holes."

"Revenge for being put on this crappy show?" Sybil suggested.

"Revenge for being put on an island with no crows?" Zach offered. "I mean, it's literally in its name. If you told me my purpose was to scare crows, and then put me somewhere where it's quite impossible to do that, I'd be pretty pissed too."

"Silence, all of you!" Michelle barked. "This is no laughing matter."

"Yeah, someone gets it," Chris exclaimed.

"This include you, McClean!" Michelle hissed. "You have no idea what dark evil you've unleashed on all of us!"

"Eh, I've read enough Stephen King to have a good idea," Chris said. "Have fun with it! The first one to defeat the demon scarecrow will be immune from the vote...and also the hero that save you all from bloody death. Good luck!"

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Michelle-** Chris McClean is a fool and put us all in unimaginable danger. Monsters are bad enough and this island should never have been awoken, but allowing a demon to cross into our world? That is a threat that should never be taken so lightly.

 **Bailey-** Well, My Lady, this is the moment we've been preparing for. Time to fight for justice, friendship, peace...all good things that we stand for!

 **Chloe-** Am I supposed to be scared? This is just another challenge, and I'll take it by the horns and claim that immunity like I'd do any other!

* * *

Chris and Chef had soon fled the scene, leaving the other thirteen to take on the challenge. Many immediately began to travel into the forest, much to Michelle's protests.

"You are all putting yourself in grave danger if you go out there," Michelle warned. "I will not be able to protect you from this primordial being if you split up."

"Hey, Socially Inept Buffy," Sybil said as she put her hand on Michelle's shoulder, "I think we've heard it by now. Don't care."

"This is not like the past," Michelle said, "we are dealing with-"

"Yeah yeah, being of great evil, blah blah blah, guess what? Heard it!" Sybil snapped.

"But, you don't-" Michelle tried to say.

"Shhhhh…..heeeeeeeeeaaaard. It!" Sybil insisted, holding a finger to Michelle's lips.

"Besides, all this mumbo jumob is just storytelling," Ada added. "We're just dealing with Chris and his usual attempts at scaring us. Nothing serious."

"Thank you, condescending know-it-all whose opinion I didn't ask for," Sybil said, while pointing to Ada. "Now let's go already!"

As the others were fanning out, Bailey found Rory clinging to a tree branch above the ground.

"Hey, what are you doing, buddy?" Bailey asked.

"This challenge sounds too scary and dangerous!" Rory whimpered. "I did my best when it was team immunity on the line, but I don't think I'm winning this one anyways, so I say no thank you to putting my life on the line like that!"

"Hey now, that's not the spirit," Bailey said. "Remember all we talked about? In times of the greatest fear is when you've got to be the bravest and prove you're not going to back down!"

"Okay...that's a nice thought, but I'm starting to see that in practice I might not be suited to be a knight," Rory stammered.

"Sure you are!" Bailey assured. "You want to help people right? Keep others safe? Well they're going out there to face this villain and they're going to need some help. You're not going to be much use up there. It's like Gentle Spring always says, a friend never leaves a friend in need!"

"Okay...okay, let's give this a shot," Rory said, dropping from his branch and slamming to the ground. "Ow...just...give me a minute okay? I need to psych myself up for this."

"Sure, there's no rush!" Bailey assured.

"Actually, I feel it ought to be stated that the longer you wait, the more likely it is that an unholy beast has murdered all of your friends in a most gruesome fashion," Grace stated. "Good luck. Goodbye."

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Sybil-** With Michelle it's always the same thing over and over. 'Oh no, THIS time we're dealing with the scariest monster ever, even scarier than yesterday's most fearsome monster in the whole universe.' And yet I haven't seen anything horrifying yet. We're all still alive, no one's been mutilated; seems like she needs a new shtick.

 **Rory-** These challenges have been terrifying enough before, and I've had some close calls...but if I know I'm not likely winning, why put myself at risk? I don't know, I really hope I don't end up regretting this…

* * *

Emily pranced through the woods in a carefree manner. She spotted Grace not too far from her and quickly scurried over to the girl.

"Hiiii, Grace!" Emily exclaimed as she jumped in front of the girl with a bright smile.

"Hello," Grace greeted.

"So glad I ran into you out here, you have no idea!" Emily said enthusiastically.

"Judging by the lengths of which you are currently stretching your face, I would say I have somewhat of an idea," Grace stated. "Why that is though, I cannot say for sure, as there seems to be no evident reason for you to take such joy in my company."

"Aw, aren't you just the sweetest!?" Emily gushed.

"I suppose I am," Grace replied.

"Anyways, are you familiar with the Buddy System!?" Emily asked.

"Yes I am," Grace stated.

"It's where you always stick with your partner so that if anything bad happens you always have someone to turn to for emotional support!" Emily explained anyways. "And Grace...I want to be your buddy! I just can't stand the thought of poor sweet you alone without someone to lean on for support!"

"I have Marky," Grace stated as the camera panned over to reveal that Marky had been walking with the two all along.

"WHO? He doesn't count," Emily scoffed.

"Um, okay wow," Marky remarked.

"Shh, we're trying to have a girls' moment here," Emily said. "I really am in need of a gal pal though, who just GETS me, you know!?"

"I do not," Grace replied.

"Normally my gal pal would be Chloe, but you know, she is strong and capable and doesn't need the buddy system as much as you," Emily said. "Also...she's really fast, and my calf is kind of sore, so I'm not up for trying to match her pace today."

"I understand," Grace said.

"But now we get to be best friends, wouldn't that just be amazing!?" Emily squealed.

"Yes it would. But we're not," Grace stated.

"Okay true, true, might as well keep it real," Emily said. 'But that's just because you don't know me yet. Marky can tell you all about what a great friend I am, right Marky!?"

"Uh well...we didn't really talk that much one on one during the last few rounds," Marky said.

"See!? Exactly what I'm talking about! You know I'm not fake since I didn't try to promise Marky any one on one deals that would never work out!" Emily exclaimed.

"That seems like a bit of a leap of logic," Marky pointed out.

"Yes! It….is…" Emily said, her brain working in overtime to find a way to put a positive spin on this fact. "As you can see, I'm willing to twist logic itself, just to get to be your friend. I must really care!"

"Wow, you're really stretching here," Marky remarked.

"Yes I am!" Emily agreed.

Up ahead, Terra was scouting astutely, ready to fight at the first notice of danger.

"Alright, Mr. Scarecrow, show yourself," she said. "If you really want revenge then come out and get it yourself, you coward!"

Terra heard the sound of shuffling from the bushes to the side and suddenly lunged.

"Aha!" she shouted.

However, she found nothing waiting for her on the other side.

"What in the…" Terra grumbled.

"HIYA!" Chloe exclaimed as she dropped down from a tree. "I've got your now, you fiendish creature!"

Chloe pinned Terra up against a tree, holding her arm behind her back and slamming her face against the rough bark.

"Do you mind!?" Terra snapped.

"Oh, you're not a scarecrow," Chloe said as she released the other girl.

"No, I'm not...congratulations on reaching that conclusion," Terra remarked.

"Well...hello again, Terra," Chloe greeted awkwardly.

"Hello," Terra scoffed in reply, already making her way to putting distance between them.

'Wait, wait," Chloe called, following after her.

"What now? Want to make extra sure I'm not stuffed with straw?" Terra said.

"Look, we were on the same team before, we took on these challenge together," Chloe said. "What's to say we can't team up again and make sure one of us wins this one?"

"The fact that it's called individual immunity. As in one, solo, lone winner?" Terra pointed out.

"Come on, don't you always say that the only way to make a change is to put differences aside and work together?" Chloe asked.

"I do not always say that, no...but it does sound like something I should be saying," Terra replied. "Fine, just don't make me regret it."

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Emily-** Coming into this merge makes the game a tricky place now. I need to make new friends and also make sure that the ones I know before know just how much I love and care for them. When Marky sees how hard I'm trying here, he'll have to realize that I care, I really really do. And by which I mean, I don't, but I need him to think I do!

 **Marky-** Emily never gave me any indication back on our last team that she was interested in working with me and I'm pretty sure she would have voted me out without a second thought. Now she's trying to pull in Grace though? I don't think so…

 **Chloe-** To be clear, I am not interested in striking up a casual friendship with Terra, nor do I have any interest of letting her steal this win from me. But I need to start recovering my position in this game. I need to start finding ways to build up trust there so that she'll come over to my side when I need it.

* * *

Mimi and Ada traversed the woods together, staying close as they made their way between the many trees.

"Man, this is frightening," Mimi shivered. "That killer demon scarecrow could be lurking around any corner here."

"It's not that frightening when you consider there's likely a much more logical and rational explanation here," Ada said. "It's probably just an intern or some animatronic contraption Chris threw together. At worst he broke out some convicted killer and dressed them up before setting them loose on us."

"Uh...an escaped killer is still pretty frightening," Mimi pointed out.

"True, but at least it's logical," Ada stated.

"Wait...you hear that?" Mimi said suddenly.

The two girls froze, hearing just the faintest sound of something lurking in the darkness. Mimi glanced at Ada nervously. Ada was clearly somewhat perturbed, but she swallowed her fear and stepped towards the source of the sound, clearing away some hanging branches. She saw nothing but the darkness.

"Must have just been the wind," she concluded.

"Wait, wait, I know what's going on here," Mimi said. "Always in the movies they do a fakeout to lure you into a sense of security, and then pull the jump scare. We're probably about to get jumped any second now!"

The two waited in tense silence for nearly a minute.

"Well, we'll add that to the collection of proof that this is real life and not a movie," Ada stated.

"I guess," Mimi remarked. "But while we're here, what are you thinking our plan should be for when it come to this first vote?"

"I think we need to keep picking away at those original Nobodies," Ada said. "We can't allow any chance of them deciding to group up together. There's fractures, but we've got to capitalize on them."

"Perfect!" Mimi said. "I'll gladly vote for any of Terra, Zach, or Sybil."

"Good, if we can split them up then we can take over here," Ada said, "All we need to-"

"GraaAAAAH!" something hideously and inhuman roared as a mangled hand clutched Ada by the wrist.

Ada gasped in shocked, looking up to see a tall scarecrow glaring down at her. The creature had a burlap sack for a head, with an old sun hat on top. It wore a patchwork shirt and dirty trousers, straw sticking out from all over. Despite looking hollow, it seemed to stand with a heavy presence. Raising one arm, it revealed a rusty scythe, clearly with cruel intent. Ada regained herself just in time to pry her arm free, falling backwards in the process. Mimi quickly helped her up, while the scarecrow lumbered towards them menacingly.

"We're so doomed, the demon scarecrow is real!" Mimi cried.

"Correction, it could still be a serial killer in a mask," Ada pointed out.

"That's not better!" Mimi shouted as the two fled.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Mimi-** Let me tell you, I've had to work in a lot of scenes that simulate suspense, and I've worked with some actors who are really good at coming off as scary...and they could not compare to that. That felt very very real, I truly believe we were in grave danger.

 **Ada-** Mm, I'm not going to let this challenge deter me from carrying out the strategy game. The Legends have never been the most united, even when we were on the same team, but we're going to need to pull it together or be ready to just concede this game if we let our numbers falter any further.

* * *

In another part of the woods, Zach and Sybil were traveling together.

"Well? Picking up on any sign of evil entities?" Zach asked.

"No clue," Sybil said. "It's hard to tell if I'm picking up on a monster, or just Mimi transmitting her fury in spirit."

"Mimi," Zach chuckled lightly. "She's certainly got her mind made up. Do you think she'll actually do any damage? I don't love the thought of someone pushing our names as their prime directive."

"Bah, even if she did try to go back to her friends, we don't have anything to worry about," Sybil said. "I've already talked to Emily and Bailey, they're not going to flip on us. The way I see it, everyone we've got on our side is either smart enough to not sell us out, or too dumb to try it."

"Yeah I...wait what?" Zach said, noting the paradox.

"Just go with it," Sybil scoffed. "We have nothing to worry about."

"Hm, it is good that you have things so neatly settled gamewise," Seth stated, suddenly walking up next to the two. "But sadly having a strong functioning alliance won't be enough to save you from the being of terror that stalks these woods."

"What the!? Are you spying on us!?" Sybil snapped.

"Nothing of the sort...I was...observing," Seth stated. "I find it fascinating to watch a strategic discussion unfold to better understand the nature of the game. It sounds like you have a strong grip on maintaining loyalty. Good for you. The world can be vicious, loyalty is more powerful than ever."

"Thanks for the philosophy lesson but...could you not," Sybil scoffed.

"I'll put some more distance between my observation so that you don't feel quite so constrained," Seth said as he backed up.

As Sybil and Zach turned away from him, something grabbed him by the back of his head and pulled him into the bushes.

"Well he's certainly an odd one," Zach remarked.

"Yikes!" Seth cried out from the shadows, scrambling to escape something.

"Do you think he's going to run back to his friends and try to make us look bad?" Sybil asked. "He looks like he has his head in the clouds."

"Help!" Seth tried while using a branch to hold back a scythe from his face.

"Maybe. Probably a good idea to try to charm over some of the others when we get back to the cabin," Zach said. "Emily and Bailey probably won't be too hard to keep loyal with false promises. Chloe...well she was all over the place before. Hard to know what's going on in her head."

"Hellooo!" Seth cried while being dragged back again.

"I hate having to suck up to anyone," Sybil said. "But you think there's any chance we pick up some stragglers too? Might not hurt to promise some idiots something fake and let them lead their own demise."

"I love it," Zach replied.

"Gaaah!" Seth cried while being slammed into the ground repeatedly.

"WILL you keep it down!? I'm trying to scheme here!?" Sybil snapped, grabbing a stick and smashing it against the head of something struggling in the bushes.

'You saved me!" a bruised Seth exclaimed in relief as he crawled away from the now collapsed scarecrow.

"Wow, you look terrible," Zach noted.

"Oh would you look at that, I did it," Sybil exclaimed as she stood over the fallen scarecrow. "Okay, Chris, you can crown me with immunity, I won! I don't get what people were making such a big deal about; that was fine."

"Uh...Sybil," Zach said nervously, as the scarecrow got back up behind her.

The mangled creature threw its arms around Sybil's neck, holding her in a firm grasp. Sybil yelped and struggled in vain. She couldn't even work out the words to give a cutting insult to her attacker. However, she was able to throw her weight to the side, causing the two of them to fall to the ground together. As she struggled to pry herself free, the two fought and ended up rolling towards a downward incline.

"Sybil!" Zach called out before turning to Seth. "Well? Don't just sit there! Help her!"

"I don't feel so good," Seth moaned before falling over.

"Oh fine, now that it's convenient you suddenly check out," Zach scoffed, before rolling up his sleeves. "Looks like it's up to me then!"

Zach ran down the hill and into a small valley. He glanced around nervously.

"You're in for it now, freak!" Zach called out, not quite as confidently as he had intended.

The boy heard something moving behind him and raised his fist. However, he only came face to face with a dirty Sybil.

"Where'd the scarecrow go?" Zach asked.

"I dunno. I must have scared it off," Sybil remarked.

"Or...it's just biding its time...waiting to strike again," Zach said.

"Yeah sure whatever," Sybil said, "Let's hope so, since I don't want someone else finishing the job."

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Seth-** Observing is the first step in learning. Nature can teach us much if we just open our eyes to what we see before us. People are often the same way. I have not yet met Zach and Sybil other than the few minutes we spent on the dock together...so if I am to understand their place in this game, I'll simply have to watch them in their element.

 **Zach-** Sybil likes to talk confidently, and to be fair, I'm not exactly one to keep things humble either. But it is important to note that it's very easy for things to go wrong. With Mimi on the warpath against us, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to look for other numbers we can pull in.

* * *

Rory had finally found the courage to very slowly make his way into the thick of the woods. Bailey stood at his side, encouraging him along the way.

"Okay, you can do this," Bailey assured.

"I can do this," Rory said, trying his best to keep conviction in the statement.

"Now, just picture the moment," Bailey instructed. "What are you going to do when you come face to face with that mean old scarecrow?"

"Uh…..kill him?" Rory suggested meekly.

"Oh I don't know about that," Bailey said. "Gentle Spring abhors violence, let's try to think of a more loving solution."

"O-oh…" Rory stammered. "I'm gonna uh...show him the error of his ways and encourage him to have a change of heart?"

"Perfect!" Bailey exclaimed.

"But if its a demon...wouldn't he not even have a heart?" Rory pointed out.

"I uh...hm.." Bailey said, before turning to his plush pony. "Did you know about this?"

Rory suddenly when rigid as something approached from the shadows.

"DON'T HURT ME!" he squealed as he turned ghostly white.

The silhouettes were revealed to be Mimi and Ada however.

"Oh it's you guys," Mimi exclaimed. "We were worried it might be the scarecrow come back to finish us off."

"Speak for yourself," Ada scoffed. "I knew that couldn't be the case, as I had analyzed the sound of the footsteps and there's no way that it matched the sound of our hunter."

Mimi just gave Ada a concerned look of disbelief.

'Wait, wait, so you guys actually saw the scarecrow?" Bailey gasped.

'"Saw him? He nearly chopped Ada's arm right off," Mimi said.

"Oh don't be so dramatic, merely a scare tactic," Ada scoffed. "And besides, that blade was too dull to cut through bone. At worst I would have been left with a flesh wood."

"Or a blood infection, that metal did not look clean at all!" Mimi insisted.

"Yikes!" Rory cried. "Okay I changed my mind, I'm not brave, I'm not a hero, let's get out of here while we can!"

"Nonsense," Ada said. "Now that we're all here, there's nothing stopping us from working together. And if we're successful, maybe it will even allow us to translate that unity into the game."

"Wow, you really don't have an off switch for talking strategy, do you?" Mimi remarked.

"No," Ada stated bluntly.

"Well, Teamwork is one of the top principles of Princess Kokomo's court," Bailey said. "And so are Bravery and Noblesse, so seems like this is the best way to go."

"Gaaaah...if you say so," Rory murmured.

The group then continued to travel together, staying on alert for anything.

"So, Rory, we haven't had much of a chance to meet yet," Ada stated. "How are you finding the game?"

"Uuuh….scary," Rory said.

"I see," Ada replied.

"But we all support you facing your fears!" Bailey added in.

"Sure," Ada said. "Although, I'd-look out! Everyone hide!"

Ada had suddenly caught sight of the scarecrow, skulking the woods not too far away. Ada clutched up against a tree. Bailey tried to join her, but tripped over his legs, colliding with Mimi. Rory couldn't decide which way he wanted to run and ended up slamming straight into a tree instead. The commotion immediately got the attention of the scarecrow.

"Well, it would seem as though you've all failed to grasp that when someone says hide, it implies discretion!" Ada sighed.

The scarecrow walked towards the group in a menacing fashion.

"We're dead, we're so dead!" Rory sobbed.

"No...not on my watch!" Bailey exclaimed as he jumped up. "Any murderous monster is going to have to go through me first!"

Bailey charged forward without looking back.

"You can do this!" Mimi called after him. "..I really hope."

"Alright, Mr. Scarecrow, no one harms my friends when I'm around!" Bailey said as he continued to charge straight for the monster. "Of course, ideally, no one would harm my friends even when I'm not around, since that would be a bit straining for me and-"

The scarecrow swung its scythe, nearly beheading Bailey, if the boy hadn't quickly bent backwards.

"Hm..any chance I can convince you to have a change of heart that you may or may not have?" Bailey offered.

The scarecrow replied by clutching him by the neck and tossing the boy against a tree.

"I guess that's a no then," Bailey groaned.

"Oh no, OH NO!" Rory cried. "We're dead, we're so dead!"

Rory's sobs caught the attention of the scarecrow, who left Bailey and began to stalk towards the other three. Rory seemed to be frozen in place, just shivering as the monster approached. The scarecrow lifted its scythe.

"Oh no you don't!" Mimi exclaimed as she used a branch to deflect the blow.

The scarecrow turned its faceless gaze to her. Rory-now devoid of any remaining color in his skin-collapsed on the spot.

"Take this and take that!" Mimi exclaimed as she swung her twig against the creature with seemingly no effect.

With one swipe of the scythe, the scarecrow snapped Mimi's weapon in half.

"Oh...well then," Mimi said helplessly.

The creature took another swing at her. MImi ducked, causing him to lodge his weapon in a tree instead. The scarecrow wasted no time pulling it out though and taking another swing at Mimi. The girl tried to back up and escape now, but the creature charged at her with a shocking burst of speed, clutching Mimi by the shoulders and pulling her back.

"Mhm, mhm, I see," Ada stated from the side, taking notes on the creature's movements.

Mimi was unable to fight back or break free. The creature's grip was too strong. She was forced down to the ground helplessly as it raised its scythe once more, this time with a clear path to make its mark. However, just before the creature could strike down, its arm was severed entirely, dropping off its body and allowing straw and sand to spill out.

"You will not take another innocent life, foul being!" Michelle spat, revealing that she had brought down her saber with precision, just in the nick of time.

The scarecrow gave a silent snarl, turning its focus to Michelle. The girl remained with her sword poised and ready to strike. The scarecrow moved quickly though, using its other arm to slam against Michelle with unexpected might. Michelle was knocked back, but wasted no time lunging again, jabbing with her sword. The scarecrow was able to avoid her attacks, moving from side to side. As it backed up, the creature seemed to be examining its surroundings. Michelle neared and delivered another blow, just narrowly missing the creature's head. The scarecrow made the decision to turn and flee.

"You won't escape me that easily!" Michelle exclaimed, chasing after it.

"Well…" Mimi said as she very slowly got back up. "That was terrifying."

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Mimi-** Ada is sort of unbelievable, trying to work in strategy talk whenever she can. Come on, this will take a little more finesse than that.

 **Bailey-** I think...I'm going to need to have a thorough review with Princess Kokomo on the practices of violence under her reign.

* * *

Emily, Grace, and Marky were all still traveling together.

"Okay, and for my fifth suggestion on icebreaker techniques, we could each discuss our favorite movie, without using the letter E," Emily exclaimed.

"Hasn't the ice been thoroughly broken yet?" Marky sighed. "I'm also not entirely sure what your increasingly complex brainteasers are proving?

"It doesn't have to prove anything, just give us memories that all good friends should have between them!" Emily exclaimed. "We'll be talking about this fun time for months to come now."

"With who? Psychiatrists?" Marky remarked. "How's this for a teambuilding exercise: We come up for a plan on how we're going to take down this evil scarecrow?"

"I...love it!" Emily squealed. "I'm so glad you're contributing to the friendship cause!"

"Perhaps...we ought to set a trap," Grace suggested.

"That could work," Marky agreed,

"Hm, I don't know guys, constructive criticism here, but that seems kind of mean," Emily said.

"Well we're dealing with a killer demon, I think being nice isn't exactly our first concern," Marky pointed out.

"But maybe it should be!" Emily exclaimed. "What if this scarecrow is just misunderstood and needs someone to be his friend."

"Yeah I'd say that's not very likely," Marky replied. "Also I really want to trap something. That seems like more fun."

"Making friends is the most fun you can possibly have!" Emily insisted.

The group rounded the bend of a large tree, and as they did, came straight into the path of the one-armed scarecrow.

"Well, what perfect timing, we were just talking about you!" Emily exclaimed to the monster. "Maybe you could help clear something up here. Would you rather slaughter us in brutal fashion, OR would you prefer to actually have someone be your friend and hear all the pain you've been through?"

Emily placed her hand on the scarecrow's shoulder warmly. The creature responded by clutching her throat and holding her off the ground.

"Okay...you guys can try your approach now," Emily said.

"I have a trap in mind," Grace said, "but it's going to take a few hours to set up, some rope, and some lubricating agent. Preferably oil, but sudsy water might do the trick too."

"I'm pretty sure we have none of those things," Marky said.

"Then I've got nothing," Grace said with a shrug.

"Ay, demon!" Michelle announced as she caught up from behind. "I wasn't finished with you."

The scarecrow released Emily and turned around to face Michelle.

"Let's end this!" Michelle challenged.

"You got this, Michelle!" Emily cheered as she crawled away as fast as she could.

"Yeah, let's just let her have this one," Marky said.

Michelle swiped her blade, coming at the monster from either side with ferocious speed. The monster managed to dodge though. Moving swiftly, it used Michelle's movements against her, getting behind her and throwing its remaining arm around her neck. The creature pulled hard and dragged the girl to the ground.

"It would seem as though she does not 'got this,'" Grace noted.

"Well if the professional monster slayer is having trouble, we're all screwed," Emily said. "Unless...we try the friendship approach again to show we really care-"

"No," Marky said.

"Maybe its secret weakness is unconditional love," Emily mused.

"Maybe its secret weakness is caramel popcorn! We have no clue what we're dealing with," Marky pointed out.

Michelle was not giving up without a fight though. In what appeared to be an incredibly painful and near physical impossible maneuver, she threw her leg in a 180 digging the point into the scarecrow's sack face. Michelle was able to break free and hold up her blade again. Time time she struck without wasting a split second, piercing the creature in the chest. This didn't keep it down though. It pulled back, seemingly pained, but not giving up the fight. A short distance away, Terra and Chloe spotted the skirmish.

"Hold it!" Chloe exclaimed. "There it is!"

"Well? What are we waiting for?" Terra said. "Let's tear it apart."

"Hold up!" Chloe said, restraining Terra from charging. "If that thing is giving even Michelle a hard time then we need to be smart about this. Find a way to take it down without putting ourselves at risk."

"Hm, well if it's filled with straw, it would probably burn up easily," Terra noted. "A nice flame would do the trick."

"Great, except we don't have any fire to use," Chloe pointed out.

"Oh please, I've had plenty of experience starting a fire with less materials than we've got here," Terra said as she gathered some twigs and other bits of kindling.

"Please don't tell me you burned down a building," Chloe said.

"Why is that the first thing you assume?" Terra scoffed. "I'll have you know that I've hosted a lot of bonfires at rallies, great for attracting attention...the fire department ruined my attempt at burning down a building."

After some rapid twisting of two larger sticks together, Terra was able to generate smoke and eventually a flame.

"Done it!" she announced.

"And now I'll be taking that," Chloe said as she held up the makeshift torch and charged towards the ongoing duel.

With one smooth motion, Chloe tossed the flame directly into the creature's shirt. The fire spread instantly, engulfing the scarecrow. In no time at all, the creature was just a writhing ball of fire, and then just as quickly the flame dissipated and all that was left was a pile of ash.

"I told you that thing wouldn't stand a chance against me," Chloe boasted.

Others started to emerge, attracted by the bright light that had illuminated the woods briefly.

"Hmph," Michelle grunted as she wiped herself off. "If anything is to come from tonight, I hope that it shall at least serve as proof as to how real a threat this island and its damned inhabitants present."

"Oh this doesn't prove anything," Ada scoffed. "That could have simply been animatronic, or controlled by hidden wires...we'll never know since someone had to burn up all the evidence."

"Your stubbornness astounds me," Michelle remarked.

"Try looking in a mirror sometime," Ada replied.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Emily-** Honestly I'm glad that evil thing is dead and can't hurt anyone anymore...but I can't show that! If people think I don't care for every living creature then they might think I'm capable of voting them off, and I can't have that!

 **Chloe-** First individual immunity win of the game. Not too shabby.

 **Rory-** Okay well...I didn't die in the challenge. Now I have to make sure I don't die in this vote instead.

* * *

Chloe stepped into the cabin where Zach, Bailey, Emily, Sybil, and Rory were already gathered in a circle. Terra leaned against the wall to the side.

"Chloe!" Emily chirped. "Congratulations SO much on winning that challenge! That was like so good! You saved us all! Wow just wow, I am SO glad that we're friends, I have a friend like you who's just so strong, and brave, and smart!"

"Yes, yes, yes, we all think you're amazing and all that blah blah blah, now that we've got that established, let's get to business," Sybil said.

"We probably shouldn't be grouped together for too long," Zach said. "We still want the others feeling like things are open for them to move forward."

"Yeah right sure whatever," Sybil said. "But here's the thing, we've got the power in our hands. We all trust each other right? Well okay, that's a stretch, but we CAN trust each other and have a clear majority if we all just stick together."

"Makes sense to me," Rory remarked.

"I love the thought of a clear majority, it's just so clean and neat!" Emily exclaimed.

"Thank you, peanut gallery," Sybil said dryly.

"Alright so look, Mimi is clearly upset about the round Marlon left," Zach said, "And she'll try what she can to get people to flip on us from that team. I'd feel a whole lot better if we could just take her out of the picture altogether."

"I'd say that sounds fair enough," Bailey said. "I mean, she seems nice, but if we gotta vote someone, I don't see why it shouldn't be her."

"Then we shouldn't have any problems this round," Zach said.

Meanwhile, outside and further away from the cabin, Mimi was walking up to Grace, Seth, and Marky who were all resting underneath a tree.

"Well guys, looks like we're right back together on the same side," Mimi said.

"It would be nice if we had some other sure numbers on this side," Marky said. "I'm not sure if anyone else has any plans for us. Good ones at least. Have you seen any of the original Nobodies?"

"They've congregated in the cabin," Seth noted from his vantage point in a tree. "It seems like they believe they're being discreet."

"Ugh, idiots," Marky sighed.

"You can say that again," MImi added. "We need to strike back now while there's still a chance. But to do that we'll need to pull in some of their numbers to us. Any chance you had better luck than me with making new connections?"

"Eh," Marky said with a shrug. "I wouldn't trust a word Emily says, she's so desperate to just please everyone."

"Ada mentioned liking Chloe," Mimi stated.

'That's hoping Ada can pull her to our side, and not the other way around," Marky remarked.

"She would be foolish to leave herself in such a precarious position," Grace pointed out.

"True, but she also thinks she can never be wrong," Marky added.

"What about Bailey and Rory?" Mimi suggested. "They seem open enough. Maybe we can offer them something better than what they have."

"It's worth a shot," Marky said. "We better get out there and make something happen."

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Sybil-** Preaching loyalty is just the best way to get these idiots to do what I want. Their brains are too small and simple to hold too many complex thoughts, so I'm giving them something nice and easy to fill up that space. Stick with the plan and all will be good. For me! Ha ha ha!

 **Chloe-** Sybil and Zach gathered the original team and just started barking out orders like we're all supposed to just fall into place. I don't know what gives them the idea that they run the show now, but I am not playing for anyone but myself. I'm not some pawn to be controlled, and if I'm going to make a decision it's going to be for me. Of course that being said, Mimi isn't someone I necessarily need in the game, so this may not be the round to go against the grain.

 **Marky-** The original Nobodies are doing a horrible job of hiding their little group mentality they want to carry out. I was lucky enough to scrape by over Jeffrey and it sounds like Grace and Mimi had it even worse. Ada is in bed with Chloe, and Michelle...who even knows what she's doing. We desperately need to find a thread to pull and fast.

* * *

After meeting in the cabin, Sybil, Bailey, Rory, and Emily had left and moved to a different part of the forest to get out of view.

"Wow this is like so great!" Emily cheered. "We have people doing what our alliance already wants to do, because they love us, and I love that! We can like get away with anything right now!"

"Yes, and what we'll be getting away with is removing Mimi from this game," Sybil said. "That's one less pain to have to deal with."

"I don't know her very well, but if you guys say it's our best move, then I don't see why not," Bailey remarked.

"Yeah um...well er, she's already mad, and I don't think she's really going to trust us," Rory said.

"Sounds like it's just better to take her out then," Emily said. "If she's going to feel cornered then that makes her a danger, and I would never ever ever...ever ever...ever do anything to put my friends in danger."

"Terra and Zach have no reason to want her around after her little meltdown," Sybil said. "Now how about Chloe?"

"Hm, well she just met Mimi for the first time at the merge," Bailey said. "But she is also pretty close with Ada now. I wonder if that will affect her decision."

"What? No no no, Chloe wouldn't do anything to screw things up for us," Emily insisted. "She is my absolute BEST friend...other than the people currently present of course. Trust me, she's with us."

"She better be," Sybil said.

As it so happened, Chloe had left the cabin to meet with Ada.

"Well?" Ada said. "How are we going to handle this?"

"Sounds like most people want to just be rid of Mimi," Chloe said. "I don't really know where she stands, so it is somewhat tempting for me to just get her out of here now."

"Mimi, eh?" Ada remarked. "That's not surprising, the way she talked, she made it sound like she was screwed on her last team. They probably just want to finish off that business. The question though is do we want to do their business for them?"

"It could help secure things for us," Chloe said. "Keep people feeling comfortable and let us move on up."

"Maybe, but Mimi seemed ready to jump ship to….well, our ship," Ada said. "Do we want to cut her off just yet?"

"You don't," Marky said, inserting himself between the two girls.

"Excuse me, we're having a private conversation here," Ada sneered.

"Hey Ada, great to see you too," Marky greeted cheekily. "Alright ladies, let me just save you from making a mistake. Mimi has almost nowhere else to turn, getting rid of her does nothing but help out people from the other team. Do either of you really want to limit your power like that?"

"Okay well no offense, but if we're being perfectly frank here...how exactly are we supposed to trust you here?" Ada asked. "You've hardly shown you have much reason to care for either of us."

"Eh, you're right, I care for me and what will keep me ahead, I'll admit it," Marky said with a shrug. "But you're a logical person, so break this down to the numbers. We can either stay apart and others hold the majority, or we can come together and give both of us some equal footing. I'll tell you one universal truth I've come to find, when people want you to 'go with the flow' it means they want you to support their agenda. So are you ready to take that risk?"

"Well for the record, I am not afraid to shake the ground and make a big move," Chloe offered. "If it's worth it. I'm also not about to burn all bridges for a maybe."

"I think...we just have a lot to consider," Ada concluded.

From a hilltop, not too far away, Zach was using his camera to zoom in on the three talking. He was unable to make out their words, but seemed to be intently following no less.

"Hm, interesting," he said to himself.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Rory-** Do I feel bad for Mimi? Absolutely. She got a pretty rough deal...but that's the thing. She got burned by our team and now is looking for new grounds. I would too if I were in her shoes. And unfortunately that makes her someone I can't exactly trust out here.

 **Ada-** I have never trusted Marky, and I'm not going to fake it with him anymore. He nearly went home last round and he would be daft not to realize that. So anything he says is coming from a place of self preservation. But is he wrong? Losing Mimi feels like relinquishing power to me, and I'm not sure if that's how I want to start off this merge.

 **Marky-** I'm going to put it all out on the table here. Ada and Chloe have never seemed like the most reliable people for my game, but right now I have no choice and they're the best shot I have. It's important that I keep Mimi safe, cause if she goes...I'm pretty vulnerable and I'd rather not have to fight for my life every night.

 **Zach-** Chloe has proven to be a messy player, which she demonstrated on the first Nobodies vote. And then in a round where the Nobodies had a clear majority, Darren left. So yeah I have my hesitations about trusting her fully, and her having a conversation with Ada and Marky now isn't doing anything to win me over.

* * *

Terra had walked into the woods on her own, though she soon noticed Michelle on patrol.

"Michelle!" Terra called. "I think we should talk."

"I doubt there is much need," Michelle said.

"Alright, look, I know the last vote we had didn't exactly work out for you, but I still want us to work together," Terra said. "You've been a good honest person, and that's hard to come by. I still think we can help each other."

"Good," Michelle said. "You can help me by voting out Ada."

"Hm," Terra replied in a bit of shock. "Ada? Well I was actually coming here to tell you that it seems like a lot of people are ready to go for Mimi here."

"Okay," Michelle stated. "But what others do isn't my concern. I will be voting for Ada."

"I don't think that's the best idea," Terra said. "Look look, I get it, believe me I get it! Going along with what the 'majority' wants is the recipe for complacency and collapse. I am all about waking sheeple up and taking a stance, but as much as it sucks, we don't have that options right now, and I don't want you to get screwed by taking a stance too soon. People will ostracize you for going against the flow, it's how human function, it's easier for them to blame those that are different, and as much as I hate it, we need to play that game for now if we are going to actually have a chance to make a difference."

"Okay," Michelle repeated. "I will be voting for Ada."

Terra seemed at a loss for words.

"How-" Terra tried to say, but Michelle was already walking away.

As Terra tried to pursue her, she ended up nearly colliding with Grace who had positioned herself directly in Terra's path.

"Hello," Grace greeted.

"What do you want?" Terra asked.

"I just wished to express my feelings to you, as is one of the many benefits in human connection," Grace stated. "I am currently in a state of uncertainty and anxiety due to my position in this game, directly correlated to an action of which you were involved, being the elimination of Marlon without my knowledge or consent."

"Okay?" Terra said in confusion. "That's too bad for you."

"Perhaps my words are not resonating with you," Grace said with more intent. "I am currently in a very natural state of fear, due to lack of certainty, clarity, and human protection. Perhaps you would be willing to offer some of those?"

"Sorry, I'm not in the habit of handing out freebies," Terra said. "Unless it's free flyers to the march to ban the pretzel. Salt mines have taken a toll on this country for too long…"

"Hm...it is a typical human instinct to react to the suffering of others with a willingness to comfort," Grace recited. "I have explained my suffering, and yet you are willing to let it continue. This is concerning."

"Um, welcome to the real world, most people don't give a crap about you," Terra said. "Hate to be blunt, but best you learn now that you're not going to get any free rides by selling your sob story."

"Perhaps my story is not sob inducing enough then?" Grace suggested. "Would it encourage you to aid in my cause if I told you that my mother was currently in the hospital due to a drunk driver hit and run?"

"Wait really?" Terra gasped.

"...If it will earn your sympathy, then yes, really," Grace answered.

Terra just furrowed her brow in frustration.

"I don't have time for your guilttripping," Terra grunted.

Meanwhile, Sybil and Zach had met back up at the cabin.

"I think we may have a problem," Zach said.

"That is not a great way to start a conversation," Sybil groaned.

"I was just spying on Chloe...since I don't trust her at all," Zach started to explain.

"Mm, understandable," Sybil said.

"And immediately after she met up with Ada and Marky," Zach said. "I couldn't catch what they were saying...but I don't like it. Chloe has proven to be a bit all over the place, so if she's playing both sides here, I don't know if we can count on her vote."

"Ugh, god dammit Chloe!" Sybil seethed. "Who does she think she is, making things difficult on the very first vote? I have tried very hard to keep things simple for us, but nooo I guess she has to be ungrateful for all the hard work I've done for ME!"

"Whatever the case, we're going to have to put a fasttrack on pulling in some other votes for this round to go securely for us," Zach said. "There's no way Mimi is voting with us, and from what I can tell, Grace has always been at Marky's side. So that leaves…"

"Ugh...Michelle," Sybil groaned.

The two left the cabin and began to scour the woods for the huntress. They had to travel deep into the forest before they found her pacing between trees.

"Michelle!" Zach called.

"Mm…" Michelle grunted with disinterest.

"Alright, sweetie, I'm not going to sugarcoat this, you're not in a great spot right now," Sybil said. "But we're here to offer you an olive branch. There could be a chance for all of us to get something out of working together."

"Agreed," Michelle stated. "Vote for Ada."

"Uuuuuum...maybe you fail to understand," Sybil said. "You're the one who needs us, you don't get to give the ultimatums."

"Do as you please," Michelle said. "But if you truly wish to work with me, then eliminate Ada."

Zach gave Sybil a look of concern. Sybil didn't seem to fully register it though.

"Maybe the situation isn't clear to you!" Sybil said. "I am trying to do you a favor, out of the goodness of my goddamn ginormous heart, and give you an in with people who can actually help keep you in. If you want to accept my offer, you'll vote for Mimi."

"I am not making offers or negotiating," Michelle stated. "My vote will be changing, no matter what you say."

"Oh my god…" Sybil seethed in rage.

Unbeknownst to any of the three in conversation, Seth had been perched in a branch shrouded by leaves and had managed to overhear the full discussion.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Terra-** I feel like I have a mutual respect with Michelle, even after the Marlon vote, I want to keep pursuing that route, since she's someone who I don't think will try to use and abuse me. The problem is...she's very very stubborn, and I don't know if I can help her without tanking any chance of my own survival. Let me tell you, I never enact a plan without considering all the consequences, and if I'm going to make a move it will be to accomplish something!

 **Zach-** If this game is a machine, then Sybil and I are basically the cogs right in the middle, making contact with all the other gears so things run the way we need. All of a sudden, we're switching directions as new information comes in, and we've got to make sure the whole machine can make that change without...completely going up in flames.

 **Sybil-** Michelle…(seethes) How can someone like this exist and function? It's like I'm talking to a parrot that was taught just enough phrases to pass for English. I've explained the situation to her, I'm trying to offer her a lifeline...and she refuses? Does she think we need her enough to conform to her demands...well...the worst part is that we just might. Grrrrrrrrrr HURK! HATE!

 **Seth-** I was just going to try to make some conversation and see if others might be willing to allow their river to flow in a new direction. However, I ended up hearing something...I don't believe I was intended to hear…

* * *

Ada and Michelle had left Marky and were now walking and talking between the two of them.

"To be honest, I don't know how much trust there is for me left lingering with people like Zach, Sybil, and Terra," Chloe remarked to Ada. "My concern is more with Bailey, Emily, Rory. If we keep around Mimi...that might really sketch them out. I don't want to make a mistake here."

"Neither do I," Ada said. "But we need to play our own games as well. Keeping people happy only goes so far."

"If enough people aren't happy with you though, you can kiss your chances at the win goodbye," Chloe pointed out.

"Um...ladies?" Seth said tentatively as he emerged and approached the two girls. "I think you may want to know that...Michelle will be voting for Ada, and it sounds like Zach and Sybil may be doing the same."

"Well...that's just rude!" Ada huffed.

"Okay, wait what...no, just no," Chloe said. "Ada!? Yeah, I am not doing that, what are they thinking!? Why was I not consulted before this conversation!? They had to know that I would not approve of something like this, I am not okay putting Ada's name out there at risk. And yet they just go ahead and do it anyways, without even telling me!? That's that's...that's a major red flag, that is complete annihilation of trust! Am I nothing to them!? They're willing to just throw my trust away, into the fire, so that they can push their monopoly further along!? Well no, I say no, if that's how they want to play then let's take the fight to them. Gather the others, we're taking out Zach, tonight!"

Back at the cabin, Sybil and Zach were herding in Terra, Bailey, Emily, and Rory.

"Okay, emergency meeting, part two!" Sybil exclaimed.

"We already had one of these," Terra grunted.

"Hence why i used the qualifier 'Part Two,' dumbass," Sybil scoffed.

"Wait, where's Chloe?" Rory asked. "Why isn't she here?"

"Why? Because we found out she's a shady ho, that's why," Sybil said.

"Oh my gosh, that is the meanest thing you have ever said!" Emily gasped.

"I guarantee you it's not even Top 50," Sybil remarked. "And it's also very true."

"Chloe!? Shady!? That's so wrong," Emily breathed while clutching her heart.

"She was talking with Marky and Ada," Zach said. "Maybe it's nothing...or maybe she's telling them everything we've discussed. One thing is clear though, she's got multiple things going on, and I don't want the fate of this plan riding on someone like that."

"Well uh...well then, who's she going to vote, if not Mimi?" Rory asked nervously.

"No clue. Could be you," Sybil pointed out.

"It could be anyone," Zach said. "That's what makes this such an uncertainty. But we know where one vote is going and that's Michelle's vote for Ada. So we may need to-"

"GET OUT ADA!" Emily exclaimed eagerly. "I mean uh...that is how you were going to finish that sentence, right?"

"Maybe with a little less zest, but yes," Zach said.

"You should try some zest, really brightens up the mood of any conversation," Emily exclaimed. " 'Hey, here's your bill! You owe ninety dollars! Have an absolutely fantastic day!" See!?"

"So that's it, we're switching to Ada then?" Terra asked.

"Or consider the following...we vote out Michelle," Sybil offered. "I mean I'm just saying...she's an absolute pain and impossible to work with. I guarantee you Ada will jump at the chance to get her out too."

"Michelle isn't a wildcard though," Terra pointed out. "She is the one known variable we have with the Legends, I say we keep that in place."

"Okay, killing Ada, sad but gotta be done, too bad," Emily said hastily. "Meeting adjourned, let's go go go!"

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Seth-** I may have had to...tilt the truth, ever so slightly. But these are in dire times, and right now the most important thing is to ensure a target who is not someone I trust. Call me a cheat if you must, but all animals will fight without mercy to protect their kin.

 **Chloe-** I was on the fence before since I thought I was still in a pretty decent spot, but then I find out that the two shiftiest sketchbags are going around making plans without even cluing me in? That is not okay! Not with me! I came here to play this game to win, and you don't get the win by letting people get away with making moves without you!

 **Bailey-** Whoa whoa whoa.,..I think my head is still spinning. We were all set to vote out Mimi, and then suddenly everything is changing. Vote Ada, vote Michelle, what what what? I need to slow things down and figure this all out.

 **Emily-** Yeah Mimi leaving would be fine, but that was before I knew there was a chance that we could remove Ada at once. It will be rough for Chloe, but it's for her own good. Clearly she's putting some dangerous ideas in Chloe's head, and as a caring friend, I need to keep her safe and make sure people stop thinking she's playing all sides. So I'll just remove that side and it will all be good again!

* * *

Bailey and Emily left the cabin once more.

"Well that was...a lot," Bailey said. "Chloe's not really selling us out right? I can't see her doing that."

"Of course not!" Emily exclaimed. "Chloe is a good kind perfect person...but Ada!? She's clearly corrupting her, trying to pull her away from us. And I just worry, Bailey, I worry so much that people that don't know Choe as well as we do, people that might not realize how pure and sweet and loyal she is...that they might want to take her out if we don't get out Ada and fast."

"Wow um...well when you put it that way…" Bailey said.

"Guys!" Chloe exclaimed as she hastily approached the two.

"Chloe! We were just talking about you," Bailey said.

"Yes we were, I believe the words used were good, kind, perfect, pure, sweet loyal," Emily recited.

"Also person," Bailey added.

"Also person," Emily echoed. "Can't forget that one."

"What...never mind," Chloe dismissed. "Look we need to talk. I don't know what's going on anymore, but clearly we're not just dealing with a simple Mimi vote anymore. It sounds like Zach and Sybil might be trying to get out Ada."

"Oh my gosh! OH MY GOSH!" Emily gasped in utter horror. "I can't believe that! That is completely unbelievable! Bailey...do you believe this? Are you hearing this!?"

"Uh-" Bailey tried to say.

"Chloe!" Emily continued. "I had absolutely no idea….that those two didn't tell you the plan switched."

"Yeah well….wait what!?" Chloe exclaimed. "You guys knew too!?"

"Well, that's what we got told," Bailey said, "It doesn't mean we have to do it though."

"Right, we don't _have_ to, we have free will," Emily said. "And by my own free will, I'll be voting down Ada. It's for the best, Chloe."

"No," Chloe stated firmly. "It's not for the best at all. It's for the worst. It's what Sybil and Zach want. Ada is one person we have on our side that they don't, that's why they want her out. We can't give into that."

"Chloe, Chloe, Chloe, Chloe...Chloe," Emily said as she slid in uncomfortably close to the other girl. "I love you, let it be said. I love how worked up you get about meaningless little votes that shouldn't even matter. It's one of your most endearing traits. And as your best friend, it's my job to look out for you, and to do that we need to vote out Ada. She's suspicious!"

"How!?" Chloe demanded.

"I think what Emily is trying to say-" Bailey tried to speak up again.

"Shh...this needs to come from me, one heart to another," Emily said. "Chloe, I am your friend, I will always have your best interest at heart, you can trust that if Ada goes I will keep you safe."

"But I'd feel safer if Ada didn't go at all," Chloe argued.

"Wow! Okay...WOW that hurts a lot that you don't trust me enough to think I would keep you safe," Emily said. "But I will forgive you, Chloe, because that's what friends do. They forgive each other when they get emotional and sometimes lose sight of their judgement. But tomorrow morning you'll wake up, and Ada will be gone, but you'll still have me and realize that I'm not going anywhere."

"You're not making any sense," Chloe said in exasperation.

"Yeah, I have to say I'm kind of lost here too," Bailey added.

"Just...just have my back on this one, please," Chloe said. "We need to make a move on Zach. He is already trying to corral the game into his favor and I can't stand by idly while that happens, you shouldn't either. If you're so worried about Ada, we can talk about cutting her in the future, just not now."

"Or we could talk about it now," Emily said, "Because that's what's happening."

"No, it's not," Chloe insisted.

"Yes, it is," Emily said with a sad nod."

"Vote Zach," Chloe said. "Conversation over."

"Conversation reopened...Vote Ada," Emily said. "Conversation over again no backsies"

"Vote-" Chloe tried to argue.

"AH! No backsies," Emily said while silencing Chloe.

"Zach!" Chloe snapped. "My mind is made up, you can either support me on this or turn your back on me!"

Meanwhile, in another part of the woods, Ada had approached Michelle.

"Go away," Michelle ordered. "I've had far too much human contact this afternoon. I don't need your company on top of that."

"Well welcome to the game, human contact is all part of the package," Ada said. "I hear you're still planning on voting for me."

'Correct," Michelle said. "Do not try to change my mind."

"I'm far too familiar with you to know that's impossible," Ada said. "But I hope you realize how ridiculous this is. You're giving power to people who don't care for you in the slightest? You're not just screwing over me, but everyone from our original team."

"I have made my decision," Michelle stated.

"Well make a better one!" Ada snapped. "Look I know I'm attempting the impossible by even trying to talk to you here, but I'm not in a spot where I'm going to have any reason to get you out. People like Zach, he will ditch you as soon as you're no longer any use to him. And then who's going to protect everyone else who stays on this island!? Think about that!"

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** I'm not compromising, not on this vote. It's clear that there are others who are trying to play for their own interest, so there is zero reason why I won't do the same. Emily and Bailey need to realize that and stick by me here.

 **Emily-** Chloe, poor sweet Chloe, after everything i've done for her, she still has her doubts. It's sad really, I wonder who hurt her that made it so hard for her to recognize the true friendship she has.

 **Bailey-** Oh man, this is getting rough. I don't think Chloe was doing anything sketchy at all, so this switch to Ada just seems...unnecessary. But now Chloe is going for Zach and uh er...well that's really going to piss off Sybil for sure...but if I vote out Ada that's gonna make Chloe mad...and when she gets mad, it's uh...really, really scary. Princess Kokomo, what should I do?

 **Ada-** I must be truly desperate to attempt to... _reason_ with Michelle. But I'm not ready to leave this game, so I need to try everything I can.

* * *

(Elimination)

The group of thirteen met at the wooden platform, illuminated by torchlight, while Chris and Chef stood waiting.

"Welcome, Legends and Nobodies alike!" Chris greeted. "This is the biggest group we've had at one of these eliminations, does that mean we're in for the biggest mess possible?"

"Well yes, but I think this cast is just striving to outdo itself with each round," Sybil remarked.

"Or maybe that's just you, and some of us are actually trying to play our best game," Chloe retorted.

"Yeah sure okay, but I don't see what that has to do with you, hot mess," Sybil scoffed.

"I think we're all feeling a little messy, Chris," Rory said. "We're coming in to the merge after being separated...I just met some of these people for the first time today, so of course there's going to be a little bit of paranoia."

"I'm not feeling messy at all," Chloe countered. "I know exactly what I'm doing, and intend to see it through."

"Well it's easier to be confident when you're immune," Chris said, "but how about the rest of you? Feeling worried."

"I certainly am," Ada spoke up. "Seeing as a particular _someone_ can't seem to help trying to push me out of this game as soon as possible."

"And yet you're still here," Chris pointed out.

"I am," Ada said. "It helps that my archenemy has no sense of social or strategic game, but that still doesn't mean I like having my name thrown out as an option."

"So what other options we got goin' on?" Chef added. "Don't tell me you're startin' this merge with a borin' unanimous vote. COME ON!"

The others glanced around nervously.

"I'm an option," Mimi contributed. "Not that I'm happy about it, but I expected it. I made it very clear that I was not going to be sticking with the people who alienated me on our last team."

"Translation, she played incredibly poorly, and now seems to believe that other people deserve to take the fall for her carelessness," Sybil said.

"You're one to talk about playing poorly," Mimi scoffed. "Is alienating half your team really such a smart move?"

"I got what I wanted, you didn't," Sybil said. "I'd say I have the high ground here."

"Okay, but there's a whole other team to consider here," Chris said. "What's to stop the Ghastly Ghouls from just taking advantage of this split?"

"Chris, I don't think it's as simple as one side taking advantage of another," Emily said, "At the end of the day, we're all friends, and friends don't take advantage of each other."

"They do, you're just the naive one who doesn't realize she's getting exploited," Zach remarked.

"Well some of you may be in for a realization," Chris said, "Let's get to the votes and see who that is!"

Seth was the first to slide off his seat and move towards the voting station…

* * *

(Later)

"We got the votes!" Chef announced.

"One of you will be leaving this game in 13th place!" Chris exclaimed. "Who will it be!? Chef if you'll be so kind as to start us off…"

"First vote!" Chef announced, "is for….Zach!"

"Not cool," Zach remarked.

"Second vote!" Chris read, "...Zach!"

"Third vote…" Chef barked. "...Ada!"

"Fourth vote...Ada!"

"Fifth...Zach!"

'Sixth...Ada!"

"Seventh...Ada!"

"Eighth vote...Ada!"

"Ninth vote...Zach!"

"Tenth vote...Zach," Chris announced, "That's five votes Zach, five votes Ada."

"Eleventh vote…"Chef continued, "...Ada!"

"Twelfth vote…" Chris picked up, "Zach! Right down to the final vote, who's it gonna be!?"

"Leaving in Thirteenth Place…"

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"ADA!"

"Hmph," Ada said as she stood up. "Absolutely pathetic."

"Ada, your quest for facts and science has come to an end," Chris said, "time to get in the hole!"

"I just hope that you all play logically," Ada said, "Even though it's clear some of you never will!"

With that Ada jumped into the black abyss and disappeared from sight.

"Your first vote as a merge...and it looks like you're definitely drawing lines in the sand," Chris noted. "I look forward to seeing you back here tomorrow, but for now enjoy making it to the Top Twelve!"

With that, the remaining players got up and departed to head back to their camp.

* * *

 **Votes:**

 **Seth-** I will be voting for...Zach. As I believe it is best.

 **Ada-** You're coming for me, Zach, and that's not something I'm going to take lightly.

 **Zach-** Ada, I never got the chance to know you, and now hopefully I won't have to.

 **Sybil-** Ada, sorry that someone hates you so much to literally single-handedly destroy your game, but that's actually kind of impressive too.

 **Mimi-** Voting for Zach. We'll see how your choices hold up when you're out of the game!

 **Terra-** Voting for Ada, not the most exciting move, but it's what's happening.

 **Marky-** My vote is for Zach! I'm sure if we'd met sooner things could have been different, but you're coming for my friends and I can't have that.

 **Rory-** Ada um well, yes...there it is.

 **Grace-** Zach, you caused me some distress through your actions, and as to be expected, I now need to retaliate in kind.

 **Chloe-** Zach, I really hope you're gone. There's not room in this game for both of us!

 **Michelle-** Ada. Hmph.

 **Emily-** Bye bye, Ada, your fake friendship with MY best friend is ugly and gross and so are you!

 **Bailey-** Well uh, this is gonna suck either way, but I got to stick with my original alliance here, that's what feels best. Voting for Ada.

* * *

(Conclusion)

"Ada becomes the first victim of this mege, the first of many mind you!" Chris exclaimed. "Tonight we saw a close vote as people took their sides, what does this mean for the future? You can be a lot more drama to come!"

"These kids better keep things interesting," Chef said, "Cause people sure as hell ain't tuning in for your mug!"

"HEY! My face happens to be a major draw, thank you very much," Chris scoffed. "Did Chloe just blow her spot by trying and failing to take out Zach? Or will the Legends continue to get picked off? Now that Ada's gone, who will Michelle obsessively target next? Find out on the next episode of Total Drama...Legends vs Nobodies!"


	11. Blood, Sweat, and Stone

"Welcome to Total Drama Legends vs Nobodies!" Announced Chef Hatchet from inside the hosting shack. "Chris McClean is uuuuuh...busy! Doing his paperwork for uh...liability in...advertising? Yeah that's it! He most definitely has NOT been possessed by the vengeful spirit of a witch executed on these very lands centuries ago."

The ground shook ominously.

"Oh uh, guess this place is still settling," Chef said. "The important part is, there is absolutely no need to alert anyone of disaster and risk cancellation...or else then Chris would turn REALLY scary!"

The sound of knocking was suddenly heard at the door. In an instant, Chef had revealed a rifle which he fired recklessly at the source of the sound.

"That should hold that fiend back...for now," he grunted. "Anyways, last time on this show we were at the merge, and these damn fools were acting like...well a bunch of damn fools! The Nobodies decided to get back together, but Chloe felt like she was being left out and tried to make a big move on Zach. Mimi was the original target, but with Chloe's flip, the Nobodies had to rely on Michelle's vote, which resulted in Ada being dropped. Who's gonna get the boot tonight? Well you better keep watching and see cause I sure as hell don't know!"

* * *

(Merge)

Mimi and Marky both stood against the cabin walls while lamenting over their current situation.

"Well, last night certainly could have gone better," Marky sighed.

"True, but it could have gone worse too," Mimi pointed out. "We're both still here, which means the fight goes on!"

"True true," Marky said. "There's always something that can be played."

"Exactly!" Mimi exclaimed. "It's not over till it's over!"

"Now we just need to figure out what that play is," Marky added.

"Hm, yeah, I still haven't gotten that far," Mimi said.

As she was talking, Mimi narrowed her eyes in disgust. Marky turned to see what she was looking at and spotted Zach walking by.

"Morning," Zach greeted with a cheeky grin.

"Can't you just leave well enough alone," Mimi scoffed. "I never want to see your stupid face again."

'Wow, I think she means business," Marky noted.

"Aw, that's uncalled for," Zach taunted feigning offense.

"I think it's perfectly called for!" Mimi retorted. "I am not in the mood to have my day ruined this early."

"The way I see it, you're the nasty woman who tried to vote me off last night, and just when I finally thought we were getting somewhere," Zach continued.

"Oh come off it," Mimi scoffed.

"You know, I'm the one who is owed an apology here," Zach said. "I could have just voted you off last night, and you replied the favor by trying to get me sent out, in thirteenth place no less."

"If you're waiting for an apology, you're not going to get it," Mimi huffed.

"Well I'm sorry….sorry you're the one stuck with a face like that!" Marky added.

"What's wrong with my face?" Zach said, suddenly self conscious.

"Nothing," Marky sighed. "That was weak material, I just wanted to take the shot while I had it."

Meanwhile, in the woods, Terra was striving to keep up pace with Michelle.

"No rest for you ever, is there?" Terra remarked while Michelle showed no signs of slowing down. "That's good, I'm glad to be working with someone who has that level of discipline. You'd be surprised how much difference a little discipline would make-"

"Discipline your mouth and cut to the chase," Michelle ordered. "What do you want?"

"Just to talk plans," Terra said. "Last night was a success for us, Ada is gone and now that you don't have to obsessively focus on getting her out...well who's next?"

"Hm a good question," Michelle said, without stopping.

Michelle suddenly lunged at a tree, piercing its bark with her saber.

"Evil tree?" Terra asked, chasing after her.

"Evil infestation, the larvae growing in that tree would sprout into a ravenous swarm of locust that would be near unstoppable," Michelle stated.

"I had no idea," Terra gasped.

"Few people live to tell the tale," Michelle replied.

"Anyways though, I'm sure this is important and I would never wish to take up your time," Terra said.

"Good, leave," Michelle ordered.

"But maybe quickly we could just discuss who should leave next?" Terra reminded.

'Hm...Rory is weak and will only continue to be a liability," Michelle said. "But I don't like Zach's attitude. Careless, the kind of person that will just endlessly cause problems. One of those two."

"Okay...I can see that logic," Terra said, "but those two actually still have a use for us-"

"This discussion is over," Michelle said. "Spread the word. Or don't. In either case, my part is done. Do not bother me again."

"Yeah...great,' Terra sighed as Michelle leapt over a log and continued to spring through the woods.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Marky-** You know I have to hand it to Zach...he's acting pretty much how I would in his spot. Doesn't mean I particularly enjoy it though. He's playing a better villain than me while I'm stuck as the underdog? This is all wrong!

 **Zach-** Hey I think I've earned the right to be a little bit petty. I wouldn't want to show it in public, but last round actually felt pretty close and could have been me heading out the door. I survived and that means I won out. I'm going to enjoy that victory for now.

 **Terra-** On the one hand, I can't help but appreciate Michelle's convictions. She stands by what she believes in and doesn't let anyone tell her otherwise, that is exactly the kind of determination I try to bring to every world issue I face. But the problem is...what she wants doesn't exactly line up with what I want, and she's being pretty irrational about it. That's not how I come off right? If you say no let me reminds you that I will cut the brakes on your car!

* * *

Chloe had distanced herself from the camp and was pacing along the side of the river. Her body was clearly tense, but she moved slowly, kicking stones into the water as she moved. A short distance behind her, Bailey cautiously approached. He stopped behind a tree before she could spot him however. The boy turned to his plush pony.

"Okay Gentle Spring, there she is and she's clearly upset, so I owe it to her to give her an apology and just try to smooth things over, right?" Bailey said, peeking his head out and then immediately hiding again. "Oh but maybe I should wait till she calms down again, you know, for my own safety!"

Bailey began to creep away in the opposite direction, but stopped himself and turned around.

"No, no, you're right, Gentle Spring, friendship isn't just when it's convenient, it's for the hard times too!" Bailey said.

The boy cautiously approached Chloe.

"Um...hi?" Bailey said softly.

"What!?" Chloe snapped.

"Chloe...well hi!" Bailey greeted awkwardly. "Okay well look, I know the vote didn't go the way you wanted last round, and I just didn't want you to feel like you were being cast aside. I didn't mean to go against you or anything, but well...there wasn't really any easy answer. I had different friends saying different things and I wish we could have all found a nice loving compromise like Gentle Spring always does when her friends can't decide on where to go for lunch, but...this seems like a bit of a bigger deal and a lot harder to work out something like that. But I still want to be your friend...if that's okay with you."

Chloe remained silent and looked away.

"It's fine," she remarked. "I know you have to do your own thing and stick with what felt best. That doesn't mean I want to talk right now though. I just need to think."

"Yep, I can do that, I'm outta here!" Bailey exclaimed while quickly departing.

Back in the cabin, Sybil was sitting on a bed while Zach faced her with his back leaning against a wall.

"Well last night had everything go down about as well as could be hoped," Sybil remarked.

"Everything except Chloe voting for me for some reason," Zach said while shaking his head. "What is that girl's game?"

"Don't know don't care, I'm sure it makes sense in her brain, but we always knew she had a few screws loose," Sybil scoffed. "She just put the final nail in her coffin and proved that she cannot be trusted at all."

"And now she's on the wrong side of history," Zach said with a laugh.

The two noticed Terra entering the building and approaching to join them.

"Well, I just spoke with Michelle," Terra said.

"My condolences," Sybil remarked dryly.

"What's the story?" Zach said. "So long as she's still voting with us, I don't care if she spends every waking hour chasing phantoms far away from us."

"Yeah but that's the thing...she's not," Terra stated.

"Not chasing phantoms anymore? Well now that's a shock," Zach said.

"No, the other thing," Terra corrected. "I don't know if she's voting with us. She seemed to have her eyes set on Rory...or someone else maybe. I'm not sure if-"

"Oh so that's how she wants it to be?" Sybil said angrily. "We go out of the way to bend our plan to her will even though she must realize that she is not in a position to be calling the shots. And after all that, she decides that she want to screw us over!? Ugh I hate her, no I don't just hate her...I despise her!"

"I wouldn't worry," Terra said, "She's hardly the most threatening person right no-"

"Absolutely right!" Sybil exclaimed. "She is the exact opposite of a threat, she nothing, a speck blowing in the wind as the game passes her by. I never want to even think her name again. Who are we talking about, hm? Not someone that matters that's who!"

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** I am just...not in a good state of mind right now. I'm not used to things going wrong, I cannot have things go wrong cause then it all falls apart and I will spiral as I lose control. I know that's what will happen, I see it happening around me, but I don't know what to do. Last round I had a plan in mind, and the only thing that I was focused on was making it happen. And then I got let down by people I was relying on, people I thought that would support me, and I just...well I don't know what to do. I want to keep fighting, I need to keep fighting, but now it feels like everything is stacked against me, I've lost any bit of power I had and I feel completely vulnerable. It's making me sick.

 **Bailey-** Aw man, this is rough, this isn't what I wanted at all. Y'know this was just supposed to be adventure, a chance to meet people make friends experience new things, right? Fun stuff! But there's nothing fun about this at all. Last night I had to make a decision and I just wanted everyone to get along but that wasn't possible. Chloe wanted one thing, my other friends wanted another and I knew that no matter what I chose someone was going to feel pretty let down. I never set out here to hurt anyone's feelings but I'm starting to see that it's kind of unavoidable.

 **Sybil-** Let's be real here, I basically took over this game last round. The numbers fell the way i needed and now no one can get at me and I've got everyone in my hands. But how am I supposed to enjoy that when idiots like Michelle are still here and still think they're on top of the world? No, no, wrong! I hold her fate in my hands, she should be groveling. What is the point of being a master manipulator if people don't even appreciate that they're being manipulated!?

* * *

Sybil exited the cabin and soon met up with Bailey, Emily, and Rory nearby.

"Well team, we're off in the right direction," Sybil stated.

"And let me just say that I'm so proud of us," Emily exclaimed. "That was probably really stressful on all of us, but we pulled through, we proved that when we stick together there's nothing that we can't accomplish!"

"Yay," breathed Rory meekly.

"Yeah sure whatever, let's just make sure we keep it up that way," Sybil said. "We have the power now and the only thing that's going to stop us is if we manage to screw it up."

"Er yes right….let's not...do that," Rory contributed.

Sybil glared at Rory before ordering, "You better not."

"Eek! Promise," Rory exclaimed.

"Well guys, actually, there is one thing I wanted to bring up," Bailey said. "Well actually it was Gentle Spring's suggestion, since she never likes to see her friends upset, and well it seems like Chloe is pretty roughed up over the last vote."

"And? So? Am I supposed to care about Crazy Chloe?" Sybil scoffed. "She chose her fate when she decided to go against us."

"Well, you know, I was just thinking maybe we ought to bring her back into the fold, give her some say over what happens next," Bailey said. "So she doesn't feel like we're not completely turning out backs on her?"

"What part are you not getting here?" Sybil snapped. "We won out, she was dumb and lost. End of story. We don't owe her anything! Maybe-maybe!-if she begs us to give her another chance we can consider it, but otherwise I am done with her!"

"Well uh...that's one way of looking at it," Bailey remarked.

"It's the only way I need," Sybil said. "The rest of you can run through your little what if theories, but none of that matters to me, so I'll be finding something else to spend my time on."

Bailey glanced at his plush pony uncertainly as Sybil left the group.

"Well, I for one think you have the right idea," Emily chimed to Bailey, placing her hand on his arm.

"Oh, well I'm glad to hear it," Bailey said. "I don't see why we need to push Chloe away-"

"Absolutely," Emily exclaimed. "That's not what friendship is all about, just giving up on people when it gets hard."

"Exactly!" Bailey replied. "It's like Princess Kokomo says, true friends will be there for you, good or bad, rain or shine-"

"And right now, Chloe needs her friends to show her what a mistake she's making!" Emily finished.

"Right and...wait what?" Bailey said.

"Like you were saying, it's up to us to forgive her for all her questionable decisions and show her that it's not too late for her to make amends," Emily said.

"Well that's not quite what I meant," Bailey said. "We both probably could have handled things better…"

"For sure," Emily said while placing her hand to her chest. "I don't know how we missed the signs this far, but it's time to stop passing the buck and be there for her. Come on, let's go talk to her now."

"Well she actually seems to want to be alone right now," Bailey pointed out.

"Bailey, my dear tender naive friend, what kind of allies would we be if we just let Chloe believe that's what she truly wants?" Emily said. "This is her time of need! You in, Rory?"

"Oh to Chloe...well I think… I think I'll leave that one up to you guys," Rory said as he backed up.

"Okay, whatever you say, fake friend!" Emily exclaimed, while pulling Bailey with her.

Emily and Bailey left the group and began to traverse through the forest.

"So, tell me, where exactly did you see Chloe last?" Emily asked.

'"Well I just spoke to her by the river," Bailey answered, "but I told her I'd leave her-"

"Perfect! No time to waste!" Emily said, changing her direction to find the side of the river.

The two eventually spotted Chloe sitting on a rock just slightly above the water.

"Chloe! Heeey! Bestie! Over here!" Emily exclaimed while waving her arms.

Chloe didn't turn to face the two.

"Hm...maybe she didn't hear me," Emily deduced, moving closer to the girl. "Chloe! Hey, it's us, your friends! Bailey told me all about how you were in such a miserable, confused, lost state and desperately in need of some good friends to save you!"

"Well, that's not quite the way-" Bailey tried to correct.

"And as your friends, it's our job to be there to support you, whenever you need!" Emily exclaimed. "Isn't that right, Bailey!?"

"Well yes, that is an important-" Bailey tried to answer before being cut off again.

"So...time to pull yourself out of the dumps and get back to it!" Emily said, forcefully linking her arm with Chloe's.

"Look, I'd really rather just spend the morning by myself," Chloe said firmly to Emily.

"That's not an option!" Emily exclaimed. "Friends will never leave your side, no matter how rough it gets! Right Bailey!?"

"Er...well technically that is true, but in a broader sense-" Bailey tried to explain.

"See!? Me, Bailey, even the pony are all counting on you to stop being such a sulky grump and put on a sunny face again!" Emily exclaimed. "I know last night you went a little crazy for some reason and started making no sense, but as your friend, I can look past that and forgive you! We all deserve a second chance!"

"Very well, I'll offer you a second chance to let go of my arm and leave me alone, or else I'm really going to lose my cool," Chloe threatened.

"That's not v-" Emily tried to say, before being pulled back by Bailey.

"I think we're done here, okay bye Chloe, nice speaking with you!" the boy exclaimed!

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Rory-** So uh yeah, last round things worked out for me. I think at least. Chloe voted separately, but she wasn't really aligned with me anyways, and didn't even vote for me, so I don't think it's too much trouble to get upset over. But of course I'm not going to say that to Sybil, or else she might yell at me again. (cowers)

 **Bailey-** I definitely believe in being there for your friends when they need you but uh...if you're only going to make things worse, sometimes it's best to just take a step back and give them time to breathe. Not sure if Emily quite gets that part…

 **Emily-** I just don't get it. Aren't I nice!? Aren't I sweet!? Aren't I just the perfect friend!? Why is Chloe so set on just throwing me away after everything I've done for her?! (feigns wiping a tear) Clearly she's just never experienced love before and is lashing out in perplexing ways.

* * *

"You know what, forget about Zach," Mimi scoffed as she and Marky walked together along the outside of the camp. "He's just a jerk. Who even needs him!?"

"Well unfortunately, we do," Marky sighed. "Or we need someone to help us out at least, otherwise the numbers aren't going to fall in our favor."

"Ooh...I hate this game," Mimi sighed."Any design that allows that creeper into power is definitely flawed!"

"Well just think it will be all the sweeter when we strike back," Marky said.

"True! I can't wait to wipe that smug grin off his face, he's going to be all like...oh, I just got voted out. Dang," Mimi exclaimed.

"Oh think that's what he's going to say?" Marky asked skeptically.

"Trust me, I am an expert on predicting reactions," Mimi assured. "He'll never see it coming. Although...what 'it' is, I still haven't worked out yet. But I can feel it coming together, we just need something to connect us right now, to Zach leaving."

"So basically, we're only missing the entire plan?" Marky asked.

"Well when you put it that way, it doesn't sound as impressive," Mimi sighed.

"Maybe our friends have had better luck," Marky remarked.

Mimi pointed upwards to the trees where Seth was intently viewing a colony of termites, while Grace watched on curiously.

"Never mind," Mark said.

"Don't be so quick to dismiss," Seth said, sliding down the tree to join the others. "I was observing a colony of valiant insects, working together for a common cause. The result of their actions may not always be clear to the workers, but they see it through nonetheless, and in finding their place in nature, they survive."

"Okay so did all that inspire any great ideas in you?" Marky asked.

"...No," Seth admitted.

"Well what about Chloe?" Mimi asked. "She voted with us last night, do you think she could use her connection to the others to help us out?"

"I haven't seen her all day," Marky replied.

"She has wrapped herself in isolation to better converse with her inner thoughts," Seth answered.

"Wait, I'm still a little new to all these euphemisms," Grace said, "Is that the polite way of saying she's doing absolutely nothing to help us at all?"

"Great," Marky sighed, "So it's up to us to figure out a play and fast."

"Alright, alright, I think I may have an idea," Grace said, "I hesitated to bring this up due to its...immoral implications. But clearly this is a time and I will need to put my qualms aside for the greater good. I have no choice but to enact the powers of...subconscious persuasion."

"You mean like...hypnotism?" Mimi asked.

"No, this is actually real," Grace stated. "With a delicate performance, I will be able to implant the idea of turning to our side without the target even realizing they've been persuaded."

"Well consider me curious," Marky said.

"Alright, step back and leave it to me," Grace said.

Grace moved through the woods until she found Rory sitting by himself. The boy seemed nervous, preoccupied with something on his mind. Grace walked into his line of sight.

"Oh, hello Grace," Rory greeted.

"I suffer," Grace stated bluntly while fixing her gaze directly on Rory.

From the bushes, Marky put his face in his hands.

"Well, this is going to crash and burn," Marky sighed.

"Let's let her work," Mimi said to him. "The power of acting can be quite moving."

"Oh uh…" Rory stammered as Grace continued to stare at him. "What's that now?"

"I suffer," Grace repeated. "I am in so much...pain."

Upon reaching the last word, Grace nodded forcefully and blinked both her eyes while keeping them pointed at Rory.

"Oh dear!" Rory exclaimed as he got up to get closer to Grace. "What happened? Where are you hurt?"

"In...my heart," Grace stated. "Last night, I was left in the minority. I feel vulnerable and weak. Perhaps it is a feeling that you are familiar with and will relate to naturally. Perhaps now you are thinking back to a time in your youth when you felt particularly helpless and just wished for some kind person to help you out. But they never did. If only this could be different."

"This is painful to watch," Marky sighed.

"I know, I'm being brought to tears," Mimi exclaimed emotionally. "Someone get that girl an award."

"Er um, Grace, I'm not quite sure what you're trying to say here," Rory said in confusion as he backed up a step.

"Look into your heart," Grace said, once again aggressively blinking. "I think you do."

"Are you having a seizure or something?" Rory asked.

"No, I am subconsciously influencing you," Grace stated.

"Oh...well, I'd rather you didn't," Rory said.

"That's fine, it's rarely consensual anyways," Grace said. "Now go back to thinking about your darkest moments."

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Marky-** Well her heart was in the right place, but I think Grace is severely overestimating her abilities here.

 **Mimi-** Look, I'm no stranger to facing adversary. In my movies of course, in real life no one would dare get in my way, I mean I have the power to get them fired with a single phone call...but ahem, in the movies things always follow a standard formula. Frustration, it seems impossible, exhausting all possibly zany schemes, and finally just when it looks hopeless, inspiration strikes! Any minute now...inspiration...will strike! Any...minute...eh I'll just keep waiting.

 **Rory-** Yikes! There's no guidebooks on how to survive being manipulated by subconscious persuasion. What do I do? Play dead? Go along with it? Sing the alphabet? Oh why did this have to happen to me!?

* * *

(Later)

The group of twelve were guided along the side of the beach by a series of posts marked with skulls. Wind rustled against them as they followed the path along a rocky terrain.

"These aren't uh...real skulls, are they?" Rory asked as he gazed at the nearest post with morbid curiosity.

"Oh no no," Bailey assured, "They're probably just…"

Michelle reached out wordlessly and crushed one of the skulls in her hand.

"Clay," she declared.

"Real skulls would be more fitting," Terra scoffed. "Seeing as Chris McClean has ruined countless lives through perpetuating the media's warped grasp on young minds. What's a few more lost souls to a monster like that?"

The group came across Chris standing magnificently on a rock pointing out from the water. The host tried to dramatically turn around to face the contestants, but ended up slipping off and stumbling through the water awkwardly.

"Ahem, as you can see by my...intentional demonstration, one wrong step is all it takes to knock you off course!" Chris exclaimed.

"I presume you mean literally, seeing as your career probably has more missteps than you can count," Zach remarked. "And somehow you're still here."

"It's because of my irreplaceable charm!" Chris pouted trying to shake the water out of his hair. "Now then what's all this about a challenge? For today, you'll be journeying into the underwater caves of Spooky Island, rumored to be-"

"Haunted?" Sybil asked dryly.

"Well yes, the entire island's haunted, so that shouldn't come as a surprise," Chris replied. "But legend has it that the walls are lined with jewels. None more precious though than the Blood Sapphire. A gem such a pure shade of red, you'd swear it were a beating heart."

"Wait...if it's red, then why would it be called a sapphire?" Chloe asked. "Aren't those typically blue? I think you've got your facts confused here, Chris."

"Also a beating heart actually wouldn't really be a pleasant shade of red like you're implying," Marky pointed.

"Tsk, tsk, misinformation spreads so fast," Terra scolded.

"No! You're all wrong because...shut up!" Chris snapped. "Just get in the cave! First person to return with the Blood Sapphire wins immunity and will not be voted out tonight!"

"Can we keep the sapphire?" Zach asked.

"No, that will be going straight to my account," Chris said, "Once I cash that in, I can finally afford that helicopter island."

Grace seemed ready to question this, but Marky stopped her.

"Best not to ask," he said, "get him going and it will be another few hours before we can even start."

"So where is this cave you keep alluding to?" Mimi asked.

"Right this way," Chris directed the group up the rocky pass.

As they climbed up after him, they discovered a miniature waterfall rushing down into a dark gaping mouth on the other side.

"No thanks!" Rory sobbed, trying to back away.

He ended up slipping though and colliding with Zach. This triggered a domino effect, and in an instant, the group of twelve was being swept up down into the deep cavern.

"What'd I tell you? One wrong step is all it takes," Chris cackled. "Dang, that was good, I wish someone was here to hear it."

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Marky-** Obviously the first goal on my mind is to turn things around after last night and get the numbers on my side again. But, failure is an expected outcome no matter what you do in life, so in case things don't get better, I'd also like to make sure I'm immune so I'm here to scheme for another day.

 **Michelle-** That fool, McClean, for all he knows, the Blood Sapphire could carry a mighty curse! It doesn't...but I still don't want him to have it!

* * *

The group plummeted through the darkness as the cavern opened up into a wide void in the ground. While most were screaming in panic, Michelle fell with directed purpose. With a clean motion, she managed to grab a jagged rock and pull herself onto a surface along the stone surroundings. Sybil's scarf ended up getting snagged on the hilt of Michelle's saber, causing the girl to be flung up next to her as if suspended by a bungee cord.

"Oh thank you for that," Sybil breathed in relief, "I thought I was gonna...oh, it's you."

Sybil glared at Michelle with disdain.

"You should have just let me fall," Sybil grunted.

"Perhaps," Michelle said, already feeling the stone walls around her in search of a new passage. "But you might as well enjoy your safety."

"Don't tell me what to do!" Sybil snapped. "This is some sick joke being stuck with you."

Michelle didn't reply or turn around to face her aggressor.

"And what are you even doing?" Sybil scoffed.

Rather than answer, Michelle slammed the edge of her sword against a crack in the rock, causing it to crumble away and reveal a passage.

"Well, I could have told you that was there," Sybil remarked. "You're not so special."

Michelle was already leaving Sybil behind, traveling deeper into the dark pits that awaited.

"Hey hey hey, where do you think you're going!?" Sybil snapped, chasing after the girl.

"I've got a gem to find," Michelle stated.

Sybil was having to race to keep up with Michelle's broad strides.

"Not without me you're not," Sybil said.

"Given your earlier reactions, I believe you may be happier staying where you are," Michelle pointed out.

"Ha, that's where you're wrong, I'm not going to be happy until I've got that million and can leave this godforsaken island behind," Sybil scoffed. "Now, don't think that just because you're so rough and tough you're going to lose me, I've got-"

Sybil ended up tripping over some jagged rocks, causing her to fall to the ground and allow Michelle to disappear into the shadows.

"Damn it!" cursed Sybil as she punched the ground.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Sybil-** Eeerg, of course i get paired with that basket case! Every second I spend with her just makes me more infuriated. Typically I would think this might be a good chance to work her back over to my side, but I'm pretty sure my words just bounce right off of her.

* * *

Rory shrieked in terror as he was swept along by the rushing water, sprawling in darkness. Not that the boy would be able to see anything with his eyes squeezed shut. Terra hit a rocky surface on her shoulder and gave a gruff grunt. The girl pulled herself up and tried her best to not display the love that was flaring up in her. Shaking herself off, Terra was able to get a glance around her surroundings, though the darkness severely limited her line of sight. She could tell that she had reached solid ground though, with water lapping at her heels as the stream passed through. She also noticed Rory flopping in the water, like a fish trying to find its way back into the sea.

"Hey," Terra said, picking the boy up, "you're not falling anymore. You can stop freaking out."

"Agree to disagree on that," Rory said shakily as he looked around. "This feels like prime time to freak out. Underground, in the dark, no sign of escape, possible ghouls lurking around any corner!"

"Well, the situation isn't going to get any better if you stick around here crying," Terra pointed out. "You've got two options, wait for problems to find you, or stand up, get out there, and face those problems head on!"

"Okay...okay...okay," Rory said through heavy breathing. "I...can't do it!"

Rory returned to cowering in a crouched position.

"What is wrong with you!?" Terra snapped, kicking the boy from behind. "The world isn't going to wait around for you to be ready, it's going to get speeding on by, full speed for the DUMPS unless you have the guts to stand up and fight back! You're scared? GOOD! It's a scary thought, and we should be afraid...afraid of the collective inaction as the world burns! We weren't given fear to let it hold us back, but to give us a reason to fight before it's too late!"

"Well uh, what do you even care?" Rory asked. "If I lose this challenge, isn't that just better odds for you?"

"The challenge? HA! I couldn't care less about this futile little challenge! A single meaningless peg in a myriad of disaster," Terra recounted. "I'm focusing on something bigger, the full difference to change the world, inspiring one weak, spineless pathetic individual that he CAN be strong enough to face the demons waiting for him. For if I can do that, then there's truly nothing I can't accomplish!"

"Wow...that's uh, pretty inspiring," Rory stammered, carefully standing up.

"Well? Words are cheap, but it's time for action," Terra ordered. "Get out there and show that you're not going to be held back anymore!"

"Right...okay, I'm doing this," Rory said as he slowly stepped into the shadows.

Terra followed from behind.

"Okay...okay...I'm still alive…" Rory told himself with each step he took. "I'm not dead yet...hey I'm doing it. This isn't so bad…"

"Keep it up," Terra encouraged.

"Yikes, GHOST!" Rory cried as something glowing appeared in the shadows.

"Don't turn away now!" Terra insisted.

Rory was shaking uncontrollably, but forced himself to face the object of his fears.

"Oh...that's not a ghost," Rory said in relief, "it's just a tiny little snail."

The light blue glue was stemming from bioluminescence from a small snail with a pointed shell.

"Hi there, little guy," Rory greeted. "If you're out here then I guess this place can't be so scary."

"Wait don't touch that!" Terra screamed, knocking Rory aside, and ending up with her shin pressed against one of the spikes on the creature's shell.

Suddenly the girl went through a seizure of awkward positions and expressions before collapsing on the ground.

"Uuuh...Terra...are you okay?" Rory asked.

"Obviously not!" Terra snapped. "That snail is notorious for its toxin which causes muscle paralysis."

"Oh...oh dear," Rory said nervously. "Well uh...how long does it last?"

"...Indefinitely," Terra answered. "You'll need to carry on without me."

"And leave you here in the dark with who knows what else is waiting to come across a paralyzed body!?" Rory exclaimed. "Not going to happen! We'll find a way…"

After some consideration, Rory decided that the best course of action would be to drag Terra from her shoulders.

"Ow, ow, ow," Terra grunted as her head was dragged across the jagged ground.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Terra-** I don't care if I win or lose this challenge, looking at the petty victories is exactly how you get stuck in complacency and the big wig fat cats win! But if I can inspire new warriors to rise up, it just might be worth it! I just wish Rory had left me where I was, I'm sure he's done more damage to my skull than anything else that would have found me there.

 **Rory-** Wow, Terra saved me from having my entire body cramp up and freeze, she didn't have to do that. Now...I have to live up to what she said, I need to prove I've got what it takes!

* * *

With a splash, Marky and Grace fell until a pool of water. Grace struggled to stay afloat, slapping at the surface of the water in panic. Marky managed to stay calm though and after examining the area, he realized that the pool of water shallowed nearby. He moved towards Grace before heading to his destination, however.

"Hey, I got you," Marky assured. "Need you to calm down and we can both get to safety."

Grace complied as Marky supported her with one arm. The boy managed to guide the girl through the water until they were safely back in shallow enough terrain to stand easily.

"Well now, that brush with death was certainly both frightful and exhilarating," Grace noted. "I'm quite lucky to have you here to help."

"I'm sure anyone would have done the same," Marky said modestly.

"I wouldn't count on it," Grace replied. "Have you seen Rory? No upper body strength whatsoever, we would have likely both drowned. That would have been quite the waste."

"Well, looks like it's just the two of us here," Marky noted. "We must have gotten separated from the rest of the group."

"Hello!" Emily suddenly exclaimed, bursting from the pool of water. "What luck, looks like the three of us are stuck together!"

"Oh...perfect," Marky sighed.

"Hm, I don't know if this is quite perfect," Grace said, not noting the sarcasm. "I would say quite disappointing, really."

"Well, I think it's just super!" Emily exclaimed as she threw her arms around the two and pushed them to move forward through the dark caves. "Two of my absolute favorite people out here! This just feels like destiny, I couldn't have asked for a better couple of friends to be stuck with. Maybe this will bond us deeper, for life even. It's always these silly little turns of events that bring out the best, life long friendships that you never see coming."

"Your favorite people?" Grace asked as the three traveled through the tunnels. "I wouldn't have guessed. We've hardly even spoken, which seems to be a requirement in the foundation of strong relationships. Unless of course one member of said relationship were deaf, in which case it may be quite insensitive."

"Talking is overrated, I'm more about embracing the connections I can observe," Emily exclaimed. "Like the two of you, I just love your beautiful love story going on here."

"Love story?" Marky half gasped half scoffed. "I think you're confused."

"And I think you're just not ready to open your eyes yet," Emily said. "But the universe brought the two of you together in this confined space so that you can finally be made aware of the feelings that have been there all along. And I've been brought along to catalog the whole experience! Lucky me!"

"No offense to Grace, but love is most definitely not in the air here," Marky insisted. "We're just a couple of friends, nothing more."

"I'm afraid I must have to agree," Grace stated. "As much as I value my personal connection to my good friend, I'm afraid that natural evolution requires a certain type of mutual attraction to facilitate adequate mating procedures, which I do not feel for Marky."

"Okaaaay, I think we can put a pin in this conversation," Marky said, feeling very awkward now.

"Oh, I do apologize if you were having those feelings in regards to me, I'm quite flattered, but you'll need to keep an open mind to other females who are more prepared to engage in proper mating procedures," Grace consoled.

"Changing the subject now please!" Marky insisted.

"Aw, you two are just adorable!" Emily gushed. "I can feel the chemistry just bursting at the seams."

"Oh hey, what's that, I think I see something," Marky lied as he increased his pace to try to distance himself from the girls.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Marky-** Well...that was the most awkward conversation I've ever had. (sweating)

 **Emily-** I may have a good thing going, but why not try to make the most of this opportunity. If I can help Marky and Grace realize their undeniable connection to each other, they will consider me a life long friend which I intend to take full advantage of!

* * *

As Mimi hit the ground she felt it crumble beneath her and the slide of water turned to a shower of loose stone and dirt, tumbling her deeper into the catacombs. Eventually her fall came to a halt though and she was able to carefully pull herself up. The girl's vision was still spinning, but all she could see around her were darkness and shadows. One of the shadows seemed to be moving towards her though.

"Aah!" Mimi cried as she panicked to strike a defensive stance. "I'm warning you when I starred in Ninja Princess Two: Geishas in New York, I had a stunt double who knew all sorts of fighting techniques, and I sort of picked up some of them, so you don't want to mess with me!"

"Relax, it's just me," Zach chuckled as he approached close enough for Mimi to see him more clearly.

"Relax? That's the last thing I'm gonna do!" Mimi shot back. "I wish it were some sort of blood thirsty demon."

"You don't mean that," Zach said.

"So you're going to tell me what I'm thinking now?" Mimi scoffed. "Typical."

Mimi moved to escape the boy.

"Oh come now, I'm sure you've got plenty more cruel zingers you want to let loose on me," Zach said, following after Mimi much to her frustration.

"Do you have some sort of magnet that pulls you to me?" Mimi groaned.

"Just comes with the career, I suppose, I've been doing this for a while, don't act so surprised," Zach said. "You know, we're not all that diff-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence," Mimi said, suddenly pointing a threatening finger at Zach's throat.

"Afraid to admit the truth?" Zach said with a broad smirk. "Both of us are just dedicated to the craft, you've gotta respect that."

"I didn't realize stalking was a respectable craft," Mimi scoffed.

"Are you kidding?" Zach laughed. "People live for whatever hot gossip they can get their hands on. It's just another brand of entertainment."

"That is completely unfair of a comparison," Mimi huffed. "I never asked to be targeted like this."

"Oh no? You just sell your face for TVs...and billboards, and magazines, and whatever else promotes the image," Zach pointed out. "Is it really so different?"

"Well...you're still really annoying," Mimi retorted.

"Maybe," Zach said, "but that doesn't mean we can't reach some sort of understanding."

"Oh I've got a full understanding of you," Mimi scoffed. "You'll do anything to get ahead, that much is clear."

"As should anyone," Zach pointed out. "I would expect no less from you. And right now, both of us can at least work towards a common goal. We both want to win, and if we spend this time trying to trip up the other, we can both say goodbye to any shot at immunity."

"Hm…" Mimi said, her face adjusting to a state of disdain as though she were trying very hard to find a way to argue. "Fine, let's get through this together. But if you even think of trying anything, I will make you regret it."

"I'm counting on it," Zach replied.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Zach-** Mimi acts like she's above it all, but please, I've followed her enough to know her patterns, and she has plenty. I bet right now she's giving a confessional about how she starred in a movie about caving which will give her the edge for this challenge.

 **Mimi-** I'll let Zach tag along just so he doesn't try to cause any problems. Personally, I shouldn't actually need much assistance to win this challenge, after all, I have much experience with caves after shooting Cave-In and the made for TV sequel Cave-In: Cavetastrophe. There wasn't actually any caves at the studio, but I spent my fair share studying their designs for the green screens.

* * *

Bailey collided with the rock sides as the rushing waters swept him through the tunnels. Eventually the movement stopped as the water came to a deeper pool. Unfortunately, the boy's panic continued as he floundered to stay afloat. He felt someone grab him by his hair and drag him to safety.

"Oh thanks for that," he exclaimed gratefully. "It wasn't so much me that I was worried about, but Rojo really hates to get wet."

Bailey turned around and realized that it was Chloe who had pulled him out.

"Oh uh...hi," Bailey said awkwardly.

"Try not to get hurt," Chloe said, already turning to leave him behind.

"Wait, wait, shouldn't we stick together!?" Bailey exclaimed. "You know, the buddy system, safety in numbers. I mean technically I've got a few buddies of my own already, but I think Gentle Spring and Princess Kokomo have partnered up, and Rojo is scared of the dark..."

"You'll have to keep up with me, I'm not slowing down," Chloe said, focusing on climbing a rocky passage.

"Right, right, I can do that," Bailey said as he struggled to follow after the girl.

Chloe disappeared from sight, climbing over the pass while Bailey was still scrambling to pull himself up.

"Oh come on, no fair," Bailey pouted as the rocks crumbled in his grip.

With a clop, Bailey fell back to the ground. The boy scratched his head in frustration.

"Yes, yes, I know, Your Majesty, now is not the time for giving up, it's a time to find that inner strength and push through," Bailey sighed. "I just wish I knew how to do that. Any ideas, Gentle Spring?"

Bailey turned to his pony.

"You're right, I've got to be more like Chloe," Bailey agreed.

The boy pulled himself up and tried to stand tall.

"Okay, you rock wall...you're going to have to get out my way, cause I'm on a mission," Bailey challenged, charging directly at the jagged passage.

The boy clambered up the wall with fast momentum, refusing to look back or slow down. Even once Bailey had gotten over the obstacle, he continued to barrel down the tunnel at a sprinting pace. Moving at this speed, Bailey was unable to slow down in time to stop from colliding with Chloe.

"What did I say about slowing me down?" Chloe snapped.

"Well uh...I kept up with you," Bailey pointed out sheepishly.

"For now," Chloe said coldly. "But both of us are going to be out of the running if you keep goofing off."

"Sorry, sorry," Bailey said. "But uh now that I'm here-"

Chloe didn't slow down though and was soon leaving Bailey behind. Bailey frowned but increased his pace, clearly strained by the extra effort, but managed to keep up with Chloe.

"Now that I'm here I just wanted to say that Emily's uuh…..intervention, wasn't exactly my idea," Bailey said. "I'm sorry if she disturbed your quiet morning of self collection."

"It didn't exactly seem like your style, I figured as much," Chloe remarked.

"I think she means well," Bailey insisted. "Just a little...enthusiastic."

"I don't think Emily is a 'little' anything," Chloe replied.

"Fair. fair, but she still wants to be your friend," Bailey said. "And I do too. I AM your friend!"

"I don't doubt that's true from your side," Chloe replied. "But I'm not sure there's much room for such emotional attachments in a game like this. I've got to focus on my own survival and clearly I've taken a serious setback now."

"No room for friendship?" Bailey exclaimed aghast. "Well that's just silly, you can always rely on friends, even if it's just to be at your side when the odds are stacked against you."

"That's a nice belief," Chloe said, "but this game is everybody for themselves. How can you expect anyone to be unconditionally loyal to you when only one of you can win?"

"Well that's how you know you've got a true friend," Bailey answered. "There are some things that are more important than winning. Gentle Spring would not be at all happy if we spent this summer turning our backs on people who could have used a friend."

"Aren't you afraid that'll leave you vulnerable to get taken advantage of?" Chloe asked. "Most people are in this for themselves, don't you feel it's a little naive to put so much faith in something so meaningless?"

"It means something to me," Bailey said with a shrug. "Even if you don't win, wouldn't you like to know that you made some friends along the way?"

"But I can't afford to think like that!" Chloe said angrily as she hit a rock wall with her fist. "IF I don't win? I can't start planning for failure already! As soon as I let my guard down, I'll be left with nothing!"

"But that's just it," Bailey said. "You won't have nothing if you can take something positive out of it."

"I don't….know how to do that," Chloe admitted.

"Well, it's simple," Bailey said, "you just-"

"Wait, what's that!?" Chloe exclaimed as she pointed to a glow coming from around the corner.

The girl quickly rushed towards the source and found a large, glowing red gem perfectly balanced among stone pinnacles.

"We found it!" Chloe cheered.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** Ugh, talk about embarrassing, I was a complete trainwreck back there. Normally I'd never make myself seem so emotional, it's all about making sure others just feel like I'm reliable and will support them. Instead I made it all about me, clearly I've been off my game lately.

 **Bailey-** Chloe seems to have a pretty heavy burden on her back, and I just think maybe it would be easier if she didn't have to carry it alone. What's that Gentle Spring? I shouldn't stick my nose in? Well that's true, I don't want to upset her, but sometimes people don't know how to ask for help and just need a little nose stickingness to help them figure that out.

* * *

"Just who do you think you are!?" Sybil snapped out at the darkness as she pulled her way through the tunnel. "You think you can just leave me behind right when I was in the middle of talking to you? Ever heard of a little something called 'manners?' It might be worth your time to look into it!"

Sybil noticed something moving back towards her from the shadows.

"Aha, finally come crawling back, have you?" Sybil sneered.

"I suppose that's one way of looking at it," Seth remarked as he emerged ,dragging his hand along the rocks. "Though I'm standing on my own two feet, we're all just crawling blindly under the insurmountable force of nature."

"What the...YOU!?" Sybil exclaimed in shock. "Where did you come from!?"

"A worthwhile question," Seth remarked, looking up aimlessly. "Did we just break from the earth itself, or has some greater power placed us-"

"Forget I asked!" Sybil sighed, pushing past Seth. "What happened to Michelle?!"

"Another pertinent question," Seth mused. "What impact did a life lived leave for the mortal soul?"

"I meant where is she, you freak," Sybil scoffed.

"Hm…." Seth said, closing his eyes and raising his arms. "The pits of the stone are deep and full of secrets, so many possibilities…"

"Okay, so you're useless?" Sybil remarked, moving on past Seth.

Seth slowly followed behind her at a steady pace. After some time, Sybil came up to a split in the path.

"Great, perfect, just what I need," she scoffed. "Now where do we go?"

"Trust in the stones," Seth stated calmly. "Nature will take the correct path."

Seth glanced down at the ground. The boy kicked a small stone forward which bounced off larger rocks and tumbled down the path to the left.

"It would seem as though we have our answer," Seth said, moving towards the left.

"Wait what? That doesn't prove anything!" Sybil snapped.

"Perhaps not...but it is an answer nonetheless," Seth replied. "Which is more than we had before."

Seth began to disappear from view.

"Well, I say nuts to that!" Sybil scoffed. "I trust my own intuition to get me through this and I'll be going this way so you can-AAAAAAAH!"

Sybil's words were cut short as the path she was on crumbled under her feet and she was sent plummeting down a painful fall.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Seth-** Is there an obvious answer to every question? Perhaps not. But all we can do is look for them where we can, and trust that we'll either get where we're meant to be, or learn an important lesson along the way.

 **Sybil-** You know what, I may be a sham, but don't tell me that this little tree-hugging misfit is any better. He just got lucky!

* * *

Rory was continuing to drag Terra, though he was quickly running out of breath and exhausting himself.

"I'm telling you, I won't do you much good like this," Terra grunted. "Go on while you still have a chance."

"But wouldn't you want to inspire the world in the importance of leaving no one behind?" Rory asked.

"NO!" Terra snapped. "People need to stop worrying about holding onto their useless dead weight so they can actually get something done. Don't try to tell me about my own principles, since you clearly don't have a clue!"

"Sorry sorry sorry!" Rory squealed.

"Stop saying sorry and start making a difference," Terra ordered. "Show me that you have what it takes to face what's out there on your own!"

"Okay…" Rory said, though his rapid quivering gave little assurance of confidence.

The boy took one very gradual step. Paused. Then took another step. Then glanced back nervously.

"GO!" Terra ordered.

"Eep!" Rory exclaimed, quickening his pace.

However, the boy had hardly disappeared from view before changing direction and returning to Terra.

"Nope, can't do it, I am a failure!" Rory sobbed.

"You are and you should feel bad about it," Terra sneered. "You realize that if there is something out there worth being afraid of, holding on to a paralyzed girl would just leave you even more vulnerable, right?"

"Well uh...I guess?" Rory stammered.

"So you're willingly choosing mutually assured self destruction because it's easier than having to do anything for yourself?" Terra pointed out. "You're worse than a coward, you are the reason for humanity's spiral towards annihilation!"

"Nooo!" Rory sobbed, turning to run again.

However before he could get far, the boy was crushed by a falling body.

"Oof, thanks for breaking my fall, chump," Sybil remarked as she got up off of the dazed boy.

Sybil stood up and glanced over at the paralyzed Terra.

"What happened to you?" Sybil asked. "Muscle cramp?"

"Snail venom," Terra answered.

"That would have been my second guess," Sybil replied.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Terra-** Was I too hard on Rory? Absolutely not. The truth hurts and unless we're willing to throw away our fears and face our crippling weaknesses then there's no hope for progress!

 **Rory-** I want to be brave and fight the good fight for Terra...and for me! But well...things just don't usually end well for me, it's kind of just a natural instinct for me to avoid any risks at all!

* * *

Marky, Emily, Grace continued to scour the subterranean land with little new discoveries.

"It would seem as though our efforts are proving fruitless," Grace stated.

"We don't know that the others aren't having it just as hard as we are," Marky pointed out.

"But even if we don't find anything, it doesn't matter since the true victory is getting to spend time together and forming an unbreakable bond," Emily stated. "People might not know this about me, but I'm not one of those people who only care about strategy and winning challenges. Not that I'm referring to anyone in particular, but we can probably all all stop and think about someone who's like that. You guys know what I mean? It's so hard to connect with someone who is obsessed with winning all the time and never cares about treating others with kindness and respect. Not that I'm referring to anyone specific of course."

"Okay...thanks for sharing," Marky said in slight confusion.

"You are so welcome!" Emily trilled. "I just want the two of you to know that this has been such a meaningful time for me. I consider the two of you to be such great people, such great friends, and I could never wish anything bad against you."

"Thank you," Grace replied. "The feeling is not mutual."

"Guys wait...what's this!?" Marky exclaimed.

"Is this a real discovery, or just another fakeout because the conversation has taken an awkward turn that you'd rather not continue?" Grace asked.

"Fakeout," Marky answered.

"Okay, works for me, let's go," Grace said.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Grace-** I could have lied to Emily and told her that I value her friendship, but if she truly feels that way, then she would likely not appreciate any dishonesty from me.

 **Emily-** You know I would never just throw someone under the bus, that's something that heartless people would do, and I never to be sweet and innocent. But if other people happen to pick up on completely unintentional hints and turn their targets to someone else, well, that can hardly be held against me.

* * *

Zach climbed over a jagged section of the cave as the passage narrowed. He offered his hand to help up Mimi, but she ignored it.

"Cold as ever," Zach noted.

"I said we could stick together and hold off sabotaging each other for the challenge," Mimi said. "That doesn't make us good pals."

"Eh, what is a friend but someone you tolerate long enough to become accustomed to their company?" Zach remarked.

"Um...if that's what you think friendship is then I'm sorry to think of what your life must have been like," Mimi said with a curt laugh. "You must have been very lonely."

"Or maybe you're just spend too long in your magical romance movies," Zach remarked. "If you took a look around at reality, you might find that it's not always as candy coated as you think. And you're not always the main character."

"Completely ridiculous," Mimi huffed. "I'll have you know that I've been in gritty shows as well."

"Think you're missing the point," Zach replied.

"And I think that you're just once again trying to use this chance to get under my skin!" Mimi accused.

"Hey hey, we're on truce," Zach exclaimed. "Not everything is an attack on you. Maybe I just want us to be closer."

"Mhm," Mimi said skeptically.

"Hey wait shh shh...I think someone's coming," Zach said, holding Mimi back.

"What are you doing?" Mimi asked.

"You don't want to get your hands dirty? Fine, leave that part to me," Zach said.

Zach crawled ahead, trying to move as quietly as possible. As he neared the approaching figures, he noticed that a red glow seemed to be slowly seeping into the area as well. He realized that it was coming from a gem, being held by Chloe who was now fully illuminated in his line of view. Bailey followed behind her closely. Zach perched behind a large pointed stone and waited for the two to approach. Right as they neared the wrong, the boy moved swiftly and swiped the rock out of Chloe's grip.

"What the?" Chloe gasped in shock.

"Sorry suckers!" Zach chuckled as he was already fleeing. "Later!"

Zach moved quickly now, retracing his steps as he held the gem out victoriously. However, as he turned a bend, he was suddenly slammed in the head by a heavy stone. Mimi dropped her weapon and picked up the gem in its place.

"And now I will be taking this, thank you very much!" Mimi exclaimed.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Mimi-** Okay, maybe that was a little petty of me, but I would have done it to anyone. I really do not feel secure without immunity tonight.

 **Zach-** I probably should have seen that coming.

* * *

After several collisions later, Mimi broke back out through the crevice, the glowing gem triumphantly raised over her head.

"Well, well, well, looks like we have our winner!" Chris exclaimed. "Mimi you will be immune tonight and guaranteed to make Final 11. The others though will be at risk...uh...we'll let them know once they all get back out of there."

"That might take a while, Chris," Mimi pointed out.

"Fine by me," Chris said as he snatched the gem from Mimi. "Gives me the chance to get this baby appraised!"

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Mimi-** Phew! I don't know what's going to happen tonight, if I'm being real, but I know the spot I'm in right now leaves a lot up in the air, so being guaranteed to survive is all the good news I need for now.

 **Marky-** Well that challenge was a mess, but at least it's finally over.

 **Terra-** (slowly flexing her body) The feeling is...very gradually...returning. Luckily, this isn't my first rodeo. You should have seen how stiff my body was when I stowed myself in a suitcase to get aboard a commercial jet and sabotage their fuel supply. Oh my body was stiff after that!

* * *

(Later)

Mimi, Marky, Grace, and Seth had gathered underneath a grove of trees. Seth was perched within the branches of one of the trees, lying on his back and curiously watching leaves float past his face.

"Congratulations on that win, Mimi," Marky said. "At the very least, better to have all options open."

"Thank you!" Mimi exclaimed. "That was such a close call, but what a relief it is to pull it off."

"Personally, I'd rather you weren't immune, given that odds are likely I'll be in a greater position of danger now," Grace stated.

"Uh...sorry," Mimi said weakly.

"I forgive you," Grace replied.

"Look guys, we don't know that we're screwed here," Marky said. "Yes, on paper it looks bad, but trust me, nothing is rock solid. Making plans crumble is something I have a taste for."

"Alright, everyone!" Chloe suddenly announced as she marched her way into the group. "I've had a rough day, had to work through some personal feelings, but I'm back at it now and one thing is clear, we cannot afford to let this group fracture. We voted together last round, and we can do it again this time and get it right!"

"Uh...hi Chloe," Mimi greeted awkwardly.

Chloe just gave a quick nod in response.

"Now, this won't be easy, but the others are emotional and sentimental, they're bound to slip up, we just need to apply pressure in all the right spaces," Chloe said. "I'll take charge, I've spent the most time with them and can read what the best call will be. Well? No time to waste, let's get to it!"

Meanwhile, inside the cabin, Sybil and Zach were both sprawled over their respective bunks while Terra leaned against a wall.

"Well ladies, how should we handle this vote?" Zach asked.

"I think I've made my stance pretty damn obvious," Sybil grunted. "I am sick of Michelle, sick of her! There's no getting through that thick, thick skull of hers. Who knows when that Amazonian strength of hers will kick in again and she'll leave us all powerless to stop her? She's vulnerable now, let's take her out."

"That would be a waste," Terra insisted. "Look, I can get Michelle back in line with us. But even if she does her own thing every round, it shouldn't matter, our focus should be on shattering the Legends' Core. It seems pretty clear to me that Marky is the brains of the operation and the one holding them together. Before we get too ahead of ourselves we should make sure he's out of the picture."

"Mhm mhm," Sybil said with dry sarcasm. "So you're telling us that you can keep Michelle in line, but then go on to justify why we should let her 'do her thing.' So what you're saying is, you have no way of actually ensuring her vote, and we're just supposed to ignore this total loose cannon? Mhm, great plan."

"It IS the smarter move," Terra said firmly. "Michelle has burned ties with her old team. The others are clearly still tight. We've all seen them group up at the start of every round. Follow the numbers here. Attack the bigger threat."

"Well I don't recall putting you in charge of our decisions," Sybil scoffed.

"I didn't realize we needed someone to be in charge of following common sense," Terra rebuffed.

"Ladies, there's no need to get feisty," Zach tried to mediate.

"Cram it! I'll get feisty if I want!" Sybil snapped. "I don't want to spend another day with Michelle in this game. That's all there is to it as far as I'm concerned."

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Grace-** On a level of friendship, I am happy for Mimi that she will not be going home. However, I value my own success more than hers, and given that her immunity increases the chance of me being the designated target, I am afraid that this is overall not a pleasant result for me.

 **Marky-** So out of nowhere, Chloe just barges in and starts barking orders. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm glad she wants to work with us still but...where was she all day? Guess I can't complain, but doesn't exactly feel like her place to just take command all of a sudden. Believe it or not, we were in the process of formulating a plan.

 **Chloe-** I can't afford to let me emotions push me down a spiral any further. As nice it is for people like Bailey to try to offer me comfort, right now I don't need a shoulder to cry on, I need to put myself back into the driver's seat.

 **Terra-** When you have a problem, picking off all the little parts will often just waste time while nothing changes. You gotta go for the head. It should be fairly clear to anyone with a brain that Marky is the head of the original Legends. Take him out and then we'll be in a prime position to pick up the pieces. What is so hard to understand about this?

 **Sybil-** I want to set a precedent in this game: You piss me off, you get out. Michelle spat in my deal with her, so now she needs to go so the others see what happens when you rejection my kindness. You don't want to play by my rules? Fine, allow me to show you to the door...the metaphorical door...the door off the island, which I will push you through and then slam behind you and also lock it! HA!

* * *

Chloe walked with Marky and Grace as they headed back towards the cabin.

"Terra has a short temper and a lot of pride, Sybil is the kind of person who likes to have control of all that's going on, Zach is a cocky mutt, he really thinks he's king of the game," Chloe recounted. "Bailey plays with his heart on his sleeve, definitely guided by emotions. And then Rory is just afraid of everything."

"Okay, yes, we've gathered as much," Marky sighed. "Give us a little credit here."

Chloe stopped as she spotted Bailey and Rory sitting together.

"I think I can handle these two," she said. "Are you two good to work on the others?"

"We'll manage," Marky said dryly.

"Good," Chloe said, leaving the two to approach the boys. "Hello, gentlemen."

"Oh uh...hi Chloe!" Rory greeted. "Welcome back from uh...well...nothing in particular just hi...I haven't seen you much today."

"I'm here now," Chloe said. "And I'd like to get back to business. I know last round was a bit of an impasse, and maybe I let my stubbornness get the better of me."

"Hey, it's alright, it's like Princess Kokomo says, none of us are perfect, but all we can do is keep striving to be better and that's will give us the next best thing," Bailey exclaimed.

"I said maybe, you can save the patronizing act," Chloe remarked. "If we're going to be united again though we need to be on the same page for this round."

"I agree!" Bailey exclaimed. "A good compromise can temper even the wildest of storms, isn't that right, Gentle Spring?"

"Well not entirely accurate, but I appreciate what you're getting at," Chloe said.

"Oh yeah, uh I agree too, definitely for sure, I don't want you mad at us, Chloe!" Rory exclaimed. "But uh well there might be some uh...yelling when it comes to reaching an agreement."

"There's no reason we can't do this peacefully," Bailey said. "I think it's pretty clear that Sybil wants it to be on Michelle. And well, I'd be okay with that...you guys?"

"I've got nothing with her," Chloe stated. "Would have zero problem sending her on her way."

"Oh uh yeah well...personally I don't mind," Rory said, "b-"

"Then we're in agreement," Chloe stated. "Perfect!"

"Yeah okay, it's just that-" Rory tried to say again.

"And Princess Kokomo shall decree it to be...uh...decreed!" Bailey stated.

Meanwhile, Grace and Marky continued to approach the cabin.

"Shall I put my manipulation skills to work again?" Grace asked.

"Maybe uh...we'll take a more subtle approach this time," Marky said.

"Hey guys!" Emily exclaimed, suddenly arriving from behind and throwing her arms over the two.

"Oh uh hi Emily," Marky greeted. "We were just-"

"Looking for me? That's soooo sweet! I was doing the exact same thing! I mean looking for you guys, DUH, I wasn't looking for myself. I may be a mess, but I'm not THAT much of a mess," Emily exclaimed.

"Don't say that, Emily, you're not a mess," Grace assured. "You just claim as much to make yourself appear more endearing and nonthreatening. It's failing. But do not despair, the mastery of simulating insincere nuances is not easily learned. For me it's taken a near lifetime to acquire."

"You're so funny and sooo adorable, how is that even possible!?" Emily squealed.

"By carefully monitoring word choices and intonation to replicate what seems to appeal to the intended audience," Grace answered.

"Anyways, I'm so glad my new best buds were coming straight to me to figure out this awful awful vote, truly dreadful, I don't know what I'm going to do!" Emily exclaimed dramatically, whisking herself backwards.

"In that case, we could just tell you how to vote," Grace stated. "Seems to be a valid mutually solution to both our problems."

"No, no, that's not necessary," Emily said, "all you guys need to know is that I'm not voting for you. So long as you don't vote for me."

"But you just said you didn't even know who you were voting for," Marky pointed out.

"I know, it's so hard, but we'll figure it out," Emily sighed.

"Or we could just tell you how to vote," Grace repeated.

"You know what, you guys don't even need to worry about it," Emily said. "I will be a good friend and handle everything. You two need to focus on defining your relationship!"

"Platonic," Grace defined. "Were you expecting that to take longer?"

"She's a gem, for real!" Emily remarked to Marky. "Better hold onto her!"

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Bailey-** Chloe has been taking things rough, I think we owe it to her to give a little and show that she's still a value to us. I know this game is important to her, but maybe tonight will help her to realize that she can depend on her friends and let us in a little more.

 **Rory-** (shaking) Oooh okay, well uh...yeah, I mean I don't care if Michelle goes, she's not really loyal to anyone. But I know Terra likes her too, and Terra's kinda...um...abrasive. She's going to want me to be strong and shut down this plan before it takes off. But oh, Bailey and Chloe seemed so happy, and they might be mad at me too if I ruin all that and then they might think I'm not serious about trying to make a compromise, but I am it's just uh...well it's kinda hard to do!

 **Marky-** So what I gathered from that encounter was...pretty much nothing. Emily likes to act sweet, but she had zero interest in actually talking about the vote.

 **Emily-** I really hope I've made it clear to Marky and Grace just how much they ought to care about me. I don't think they'd have the numbers to vote me out, but if things did get weird, I'd rather not even risk it!

* * *

Terra was trekking through the thick of the woods, in search of Michelle.

"Where did that girl get to now?" Terra groaned to herself. "She's caused a lot of trouble for someone who makes it so hard to be found."

Terra finally found Michelle, wiping off some sort of black goo from her blade.

"Michelle, glad I...what the hell is that?" Terra asked.

"It doesn't matter, it's dead now," Michelle stated.

"Well great!" Terra said. "Alright look, things are getting pretty hefty back at camp-"

"Has the Thunderbird awoken!?" Michelle exclaimed with a sudden jolt. "I feared this day…"

"Uh no...no, I meant more for the vote," Terra said.

"You shouldn't cry wolf, you'll end up drawn and quartered for it," Michelle stated.

"Pretty sure that's not the way the tale goes," Terra replied.

"Not the version you're familiar with, perhaps," Michelle said grimly.

"I know you're a busy woman, so I'll just cut to the chase. Help me out here, vote Marky, maybe let the others know you're doing the same," Terra explained. "And I'll put in the rest of the work to keep this smooth."

"I will be voting for Rory," Michelle stated bluntly. "You most of all should have seen how out of his element he is. The weakest link must be removed."

"Well, I don't disagree there," Terra said, "but-"

"If you don't disagree, then there is no longer a need to discuss," Michelle stated. "The matter is concluded."

"It's not that simple though!" Terra exclaimed.

"It can be," Michelle claimed. "I find that humans have gotten very good at complicating the simplest of situations. Take a step back, look at the bare facts, stop looking for problems that don't exist."

"Ooh are you really giving me a lecture here?" Terra huffed. "I don't take lectures, I give lectures! I am the one working to get the world on track, I do not need anyone to tell me how simple life is."

"Perhaps you should try it," Michelle replied, turning away to leave.

"You are impossible!" Terra snapped, stomping her foot. "You are making it so hard for me to help you! So hard, you know that!?"

Terra stormed away in the other direction. As both girls left, Seth squeezed out from a hollow tree.

"Good talk, ladies, good talk," he remarked quietly.

Meanwhile, Bailey and Rory found themselves approached from either end as both Emily and Sybil walked towards them.

"Hiii guys! How are you!? How was your day!?" Emily gushed.

"Well," Rory answered, "it was-"

"Stick a sock in it, you pincushion!" Sybil barked. "Nobody cares!"

"Well, she just asked-" Rory tried to say.

"I have dealt with so much crap today!" Sybil exclaimed.

"Aw, that's too bad," Emily cooed. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"What I want is for all of us to agree to be rid of Michelle, and I'll be free of that migraine," Sybil demanded.

"Well in that case, you're in luck!" Bailey announced eagerly.

"Yes yes, I'm sure I'm in luck, I'm sure your imaginary horse friend has some juvenile life lesson about how lucky I am that the sky is blue and the flowers are blooming, yadda yadda yadda, consider myself blessed!" Sybil cut off.

"Actually, there's one little thing," Rory tried to speak up again.

Sybil gave a death glare to Rory as she leaned over him.

"Uh...never mind," Rory squeaked.

"That's what I thought!" Sybil snapped, before marching away again.

"Isn't she the best!?" Emily exclaimed. "My day was good, by the way! I know neither of you asked, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that that's what you were trying to say. So thank you for thinking of me!"

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Michelle-** Fear, death, survival...these are all simple and clear aspects. People try to mask them, cover them in frills and meaningless theatrics because it's easier than facing the gruesome truth. But I will tear away at all those needless complications and point towards what must be done.

 **Terra-** I'm not over complicating things, hmph! Sure, I would love to live in a world where every single problem had a simple solution, but it doesn't work that way. You have to be ready to fight day and night to make things happen, and if Michelle is just expecting she'll be handed what she wants because she said so, she'll be in for a rude awakening!

 **Emily-** At the end of the day I'll always have my alliance of four, we've got an unbreakable pact and right now the plan is to get rid of Michelle. Bye! I don't even know who that is!

* * *

Chloe, Seth Marky, Mimi, and Grace regrouped as the sun started to set on the camp.

"Well guys, how are we looking?" Mimi asked.

"We may have an opening," Chloe stated. "The others seem fed up with Michelle. She's proven time and time again to be reliable to no one in this game. If we jump on that, we all survive another day."

"There may be another way as well," Seth added. "It would seem as though Michelle is intending to vote for Rory. Perhaps making use of this little seed that's fallen our way, will give us the vine we need to climb on up."

"Do we want to rely on Michelle's vote to clinch a plan?" Marky remarked skeptically.

"I wouldn't," Chloe said. "If that backfires, we will likely lose any chance of blending the lines with the others."

"I'm not so sure those lines are going to blend either way," Mimi said. "But with that in mind, what if we tried to take advantage of this situation. If they believe we're all voting for Michelle, we might be able to get them to split their votes. And instead of going for either Michelle or Rory, we take out someone who's an actual threat to us. Sybil or Zach."

"Hm, it's risky," Marky said, "but if it pays off, it would be oh so sweet."

"But it won't be worth the risk," Chloe said. "That requires a lot of 'if's coming to be. I'd rather not play with fire here. Michelle isn't someone who will be worth saving for any of us. We'll have another chance to make a bold play the following round once she's gone."

"Well...we're going to have to decide on something," Marky said with a shrug.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** I'll admit, I want Michelle gone more for selfish reasons than serving the group as a whole. I know she'll always be a major threat for the challenge wins, and if things don't work out, I'd like to know that I can at least try to fall back on that.

 **Mimi-** I know it would be a bit of a longshot, but Zach and Sybil have been so smug lately, it would be the sweetest victory ever to flip the script on them when they least expect it.

 **Marky-** (sighs) For all I know, we're still just getting played and none of this will amount to anything. But we've got to take a shot while we can.

* * *

(Elimination)

The group of twelve gathered at the site of the ceremony with Chris and Chef waiting, eager to begin.

"Welcome, welcome, to this very special group!" Chris exclaimed. "So last round, we had our first merged elimination and Ada was sent packing. Has this sent any ripples through the game?"

"Yes," Michelle stated. "Things have changed for the better."

"What sort of changes would you be talking about?" Chris asked.

"Ada not being at camp anymore," Michelle answered bluntly.

"Well...can't argue with that," Chris said with a shrug. "And how about on the other end of things. Zach, you got some votes of your own, does this worry you?"

"Sure. in the moment it was a pretty frightening experience," Zach remarked. "But it's over and done with, people failed to get me out, and overall that feels like a win for me. I'm still here, and I intend to still be here at the end of the night."

"Speaking of, the one person who knows for sure sure won't be leaving tonight is Mimi," Chris said, "Mimi, do you think you needed this immunity?"

"Let's just say I'm much happier knowing I have it than otherwise," Mimi replied. "I feel in the dark, if my name was out there I certainly would not be surprised."

"And who else feels like they may be in trouble?" Chris asked.

Marky, Grace, Seth, and Rory all raised their hands.

"Oh give me a break," Terra scoffed, as she grabbed Rory's hand and pushed it down.

"Terra...you're saying Rory shouldn't feel worried?" Chris asked.

"He absolutely should not," Terra stated. "He's not going anywhere."

"And you can say this with confidence?" Chris asked.

"No doubt about it," Terra said. "Last round showed us the sides, Rory was on the winning side. There is zero reason to vote him out now. None!"

Terra shot a glare to Michelle as she enunciated the last word.

"But things can change, can't they?" Chris asked.

"They can and probably will, but as of right now? Those of us who are in the majority have no reason to give it up when there's still a tight core just waiting for any crack to exploit," Terra said.

"Not to mention, even if they wanted to make a move, why would they take out the most pathetic person left in the game?" Sybil scoffed. "I mean, come on, this guy ain't winning, if you're going to make a move, you might as well actually take out someone who has a chance at finishing a challenge. But that won't happen, because the game isn't being flipped tonight. I've seen it in the stars. Tonight is not a night for...bizarre...events...changing...the game."

"Interesting prediction," Chris said. "Well if it's written in the stars, it must be true. So let's move along and get this vote underway."

Emily got up and scurried towards the voting section.

* * *

(Later)

"We got the votes!" Chef barked as he held up the urn. "You punks know what happens next. We gotta read them, and one of you will see your name come up the most. For that person...get your butt outta here!"

"The first vote," Chris announced, "...Michelle!"

"Second vote…" Chef read, "is for….Rory!"

"Third vote….Marky!"

"Fourth vote...Michelle!"

"Michelle!"

"...Michelle!"

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

"And all the rest are for Michelle too!" Chris concluded. "Michelle, it's time to go."

"No," Michelle denied.

"Uh...that wasn't a request," Chris said, raising an eyebrow. "You've been voted out...time to vamoose!"

"This island is still rife with danger," Michelle claimed. "You won't last a day without me. Do you want that blood on your hands?"

"Sure, I'll take that gamble," Chris said with a carefree shrug.

"I'm not leaving," Michelle stated firmly, crossing her arms.

"Chef!" Chris ordered.

The large man pulled out a brightly colored pistol which fired a dart into Michelle's arm. The girl stood up woozily.

"I...told you...it'll take more than that to...get rid of me," Michelle slurred.

"Chef, hit her again!" Chris ordered.

"Chris, you know these are meant for elephants, right?" Chef pointed out nervously. "Elephants, man!"

"She's still standing, isn't she!?" Chris insisted.

Chef fired again and hit Michelle's other arm. The girl tumbled forward and rolled into the abyss before her.

"That does it for Michelle!" Chris announced. "Eleven of you remain. Will you survive without your protector? We'll just have to wait and see! Now get outta here!"

* * *

 **Votes:**

 **Michelle-** Rory, you are weak, and have no room to survive the horrors that are to come.

 **Terra-** The smart move here is to take out Marky, and I refuse to throw my vote away just because others don't see that. You should be leaving!

 **Marky-** Michelle, thanks for nothing, you did this to yourself!

 **Mimi-** Michelle, you may be quick with that sword, but when I really needed you, I got left in the dust. See ya never!

 **Chloe-** I win this time, Michelle, and that should put an end to any chance of you crushing these future challenges.

 **Bailey-** Michelle, uuh...well nothing personal, but I've got to support my friends here and this feels like the right move. Rojo says bye bye...that's right, wave bye bye, Rojo!

 **Zach-** Michelle, you're clearly not with me, and I dunno what you're doing, but you won't be my problem much longer.

 **Sybil-** It is with great pleasure that I am casting a vote for Michelle. Your fate is sealed, your lifelines have been cut, may pain and suffering follow you for the rest of your days.

 **Seth-** Michelle, you have shown great strength, and yet sometimes it is the strongest predators that are the first to step head first into a trap.

 **Grace-** Michelle, this is simple, I want to live, you need to go.

 **Emily-** Michelle this is sooooo hard since i know how hard you've fought, but don't feel bad, you are an inspiration for making it this far!

 **Rory-** Oooh uh well I guess um I uh...well Michelle?

* * *

(Conclusion)

"And then there were eleven!" Chris exclaimed, still standing on the torchlit platform. "Michelle was perhaps the most equipped to handle the horrors of the island, and yet one of the least able to adapt to the game. It just goes to show that the true monster...is the strategy itself!"

The two hosts heard a low roar from the distance.

"Uuuh that is to say...there are many real monsters on the island, with strategy just being one of them," Chris corrected himself.

"You fools better keep watching, this is gonna keep getting crazy," Chef said, while pointing at the camera. "These wacky kids are starting to lose it, which means they're gonna be sparks flying in no time!"

"You said it, Chef!" Chris exclaimed. "The knives are already coming out, so who will get cut next? Find out next time on...Total Drama Legends vs Nobodies!"


	12. Whirled Wide Web

"Welcome to Total Drama Legends vs Nobodies!" Chris exclaimed from inside of the host shack. "Here we are at Spooky Island, a land where danger could be lurking around any corner! Uh Chef...there's no danger in our corners though, right?"

Chef was poised at the window, gazing out with a pair of binoculars.

"Damn, Chris, how much you pay for this piece of junk?" the larger man asked as he tossed away the binoculars. "I can't see nothin' here!"

"Actually, I swiped them from a yard sale," Chris answered. "That's what we call a thrifty life hack!"

"Well don't complain to me if your little life hack ends up with you hacked to bits," Chef scoffed.

"That was terrible, never try to do puns again," Chris scoffed. "Back to our little show, though! Last time there was a fairly clear divide between the original Legends and Nobodies, with only Chloe and Michelle switching places to either group. The lines got somewhat blurred though with Michelle making herself into a massive target for almost everyone. Terra tried to speak up in her defense, but it was futile and the stone cold warrior was sent off this island. Eleven kids remain, soon to be ten at the end of the night. Who will be the next one? Let's watch and see what happens!"

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Terra-** I'm not happy with the way things went last night. Oh, I knew Michelle was leaving, that much was fairly obvious. But everyone else knew that I thought that was stupid as all hell to just cut her loose so soon. And did anybody listen to me? The people who are supposed to be my allies clearly didn't care about what I have to say, so it's time to MAKE myself heard!

* * *

Sybil rose from her bunk and stretched out her arms as she paced across the cabin.

"Ah, it's a beautiful day!" she exclaimed.

"Is it now?" Zach asked, glancing out the window to see heavy winds carrying in dark clouds. "Seems about as glum as ever."

"Forget about that," Sybil scoffed. "I'm talking of being free of Michelle!"

"Ah yes, what a difference it makes seeing as she made every effort to distance herself as far as possible every day," Zach remarked sarcastically.

"Oh shut it!" Sybil snapped. "Her presence was affecting my vibe, and you know how sensitive I am to negative energy being put into my vibe."

"I know how sensitive you are whenever it's convenient for you," Zach replied.

The two noticed Terra approaching.

"Ah," Zach said, waving her over, "I suppose it's time to discuss what our next step should be?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, is that what happened yesterday?" Terra sneered. "Did we have a discussion? Because it felt to me like Sybil was just telling me exactly how to vote and what to think and my words meant nothing!"

"Jeez, what the hell crawled down your throat and died?" Sybil scoffed.

"I told both of that voting out Michelle was a mistake, something that we'd come to regret," Terra exclaimed. "And it was like talking to a brick wall. Nobody cares about what I have to say! But now you want to reel me back on in to be your complacent little voter until you decide it's time to throw me away next?"

"Well, Michelle did vote for me, I'm pretty sure," Zach pointed out, with a slight shake of his head. "She wasn't exactly proving to be reliable."

"Oh boo hoo, big baby got a single vote last night?" Terra sneered, making mock crying motions with her hands. "Did that hurt your feelings? Could you not stand the thought that someone would even dare to vote for Your Holiness? No one else followed up because no one else was working with Michelle, which I freaking told the both of you! We could have made a strong move without even having to rely on her, but your ego couldn't handle that could it?"

"Alright, just chill," Zach insisted, getting somewhat more agitated.

"I will not chill!" Terra shouted, slamming her fist against the wall. "You know what sort of people 'chill?' The kind of people who would sooner sit at home, watching TV edited to soothe their senses so they can pretend they don't know about the bombs being dropped on suffering countries! The kind of people who get a small sense of joy when they can save an extra dollar because their meat was slaughtered in inhumane conditions by an impoverished farmer who hasn't seen the sunlight in 4 years! I will NOT be that kind of person! I will speak up against injustice!"

"Step down from your high horse, you hag," Sybil scoffed. "It's not that deep. You want to know why nobody had time to listen to your ravings? It's because I don't waste my time with stupid plans. Spin it however you want, the way I see it, we took out someone who had no interest in being a part of our plans, end of story! And might I remind you that it's been those same plans that have been keeping you safe. I've been making sure we have the numbers and things don't go up in flames, when crazy people like you leave the door wide open for disaster!"

"Oh I know all about your plans," Terra retorted. "Don't try to act like you've ever once cared about me as anything beyond someone to use. A number in your equation, right? Well guess what, I am not a number, I am a human goddamn being, and if you're not going to treat me like one then maybe I'll just flip!"

"Oh yes, please throw away your game, nothing would make me laugh harder," Sybil dared.

"Ladies, ladies," Zach exclaimed, getting between the two. "Let's not-"

"And as for you," Terra snapped, pushing Zach in the chest, "I hope you know that she's had a core alliance of four with Rory, Bailey, and Emily since nearly the start of the game. So if you think you've been in the driver's seat all this time, guess again! Boom, bombshell! I'm outta here!"

Terra turned away from the two and marched out the cabin. As she exited, she immediately came face to face with Emily, sharing a bright grin her way.

"Terra, hi!" Emily exclaimed. "I couldn't help but overhear your obnoxious shouting match. That was so fierce. Wait, no, no it was beyond fierce...that as...woke!"

"Uh…" Terra said, not certain of how to reply.

"I just thought that was really inspiring, I feel inspired, we should be the best of friends," Emily exclaimed. "I really really love…...issues. All of the issues that you're taking on, I feel exactly the same way. Like uh….feminism, I think feminism is a really big deal, like there are women who can't speak out, and I just think that's so sad, because like half of the population is women, so like what kind of future are we moving towards if a woman can't even be President?"

"Prime Minister," Terra corrected.

"Yes, that's very important too," Emily said with a nod.

"Well Emily...I'm actually at a loss for words for a change," Terra said. "So...I'm just going to keep on walking now."

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Terra-** I've always known about that alliance of four since Rory let it slip, I don't care about it, but I wanted to blow that up now to cause a little chaos. Sure it's risky to go all out like that, but sometimes the only thing you can do is burn the whole corrupt system down and start over, and that's exactly what I'm planning to do!

 **Sybil-** I thought we already voted out the clown, but clearly Terra is the bigger fool than even Jeffrey was. She just had to shut her mouth and be happy for a solid majority, but she had to throw a tantrum and now she's guaranteed to get herself killed by her own stupidity. I am surrounded by idiots!

 **Marky-** You know, I can't help but laugh, I was ready to start looking for ways to keep on weaseling by today, but before I can even do that I hear Terra and Sybil absolutely going after each other. This is exactly the kind of thing I need, neither of them have done any good for me, so I'm happy to watch them tear each other down.

* * *

"Hey guys!?" Marky called as he scampered through the woods in search of his friends.

He had to travel somewhat deeper into the forest before finding Mimi and Seth crouched down, examining something together.

"Guys, you are going to love what I-hey uh...what are you doing?" Marky exclaimed as he came upon the two.

"Hm, something was definitely here alright," MImi said with concern as she cocked her head from side to side.

"Yes, yes," Seth agreed, letting the dirt sift through his fingers with intent focus. "The soil has been scrambled, fear itself runs through the earth."

"Hello?" Marky once again tried to gain their attention.

"Oh hi Marky!" Mimi greeted.

"What's happening?" Marky asked as he moved in closer.

"Well, with Michelle gone I was just a little worried about all the uh...well whatever things she was always off fighting," Mimi remarked. "They very well could still be out there, and we're down our biggest expert."

"Indeed, the air flows with unease," Seth added. "Tension just waiting to crack."

"That's certainly ominous," Marky said.

"Indeed," Seth said with a solemn nod.

"Take a look at this, Marky," Mimi requested as she pointed to a divet in the ground. "I am telling you something was here."

"Oh uh...yeah, could be," Marky said, scratching his head.

"If it's a Chupacabra we had best be prepared to keep watch tonight," Seth said. "I've heard tales of horror of bones sucked straight out of living bodies."

"No, no, trust me this is definitely Werewolf we're dealing with," Mimi assured.

"I see...and where is this sudden expertise coming from?" Marky asked.

"Well it actually goes back to when I was approached to star in the Twilight reboot," Mimi said, "They asked that I read the books to prepare, but they were so boring, so I switched to an online fanfiction instead which was a bit more my pace, and it had illustrations too!"

"Wait...there was a Twilight reboot?" Marky asked.

"Well no, the whole thing was a legal fiasco from day one seeing as we didn't actually have the rights," Mimi said."I think the idea was that by the time anyone found out it would be too late, but yeah we never saw the light of day."

"Hold on, if we're really dealing with a werewolf here...wouldn't that mean it would turn back into a person in the morning?" Marky asked.

"Oh my gosh!" Mimi gasped. "You're so right! Wait..wait, plot twist alert! What if it's someone from our camp!?"

"Then they've already infiltrated our ranks," Marky said.

"Plot twist times two! What if the werewolf can't remember what they've done in their feral form?" Mimi gasped. "For all we know...it could be me!"

"You two do realize that we're not actually inside of a movie?" Seth pointed out.

"Yeah, but we kinda are though," Mimi replied.

Closer to the cabin, Bailey was lounging on the grass while Rory paced nervously.

"Wait wait...what was that!?" Rory exclaimed as a bird flew overhead.

"It's just a bird, little buddy," Bailey remarked. "You can't keep panicking over every little thing. It's like Princess Kokomo says, if you spend too much time worrying about the little things, you won't see the big ones coming."

"I can't help it!" Rory exclaimed. "I couldn't even sleep last night. As soon as Michelle left I couldn't help but feel like we just made a huge mistake! We got so caught up in the game that we forgot to consider...there's no one to keep us safe anymore!"

"Aw, sure there is!" Bailey exclaimed as he stood up.

"Oh uh...good! Did Chris hire some private security team to take her place?" Rory asked.

"No!" Bailey laughed. "I'm talking about us! Knights of the Court of Kokomo! There's no terror too terrible that we can't face!"

"Okay but uh...are you sure you've thought this through?" Rory asked. "What if it has big teeth? Or poisonous claws? Or-"

"Whoa, whoa, one step at a time," Bailey assured. "Before we get in over our heads on what COULD be out there, let me ask you...do you see any of these terrifying being around now?"

"Well uh," Rory remarked as he glanced around, "no….I MEAN YES!"

Rory turned pale white as he pointed frantically at Terra approaching the two with angry purpose.

"That's just Terra, silly," Bailey laugh. "Hi Terra! What's happening?"

"A revolution, that's what's happening!" Terra stated firmly.

"Oh uh...well this isn't going to be one of those revolutions that ends up with the royalty losing their heads, is it?" Bailey asked. "I'm not sure Princess Kokomo would feel about that."

"Your pillow will be fine," Terra stated. "But it's time for Sybil to get a taste of her own medicine and be overthrown! She's been taking all of us for granted for far too long!"

"Sybil? Oh uh...I don't know if-" Rory stammered.

"Yes, I'm aware that you're completely incapable of coming to a decision on your own and probably need to ask her for permission before betraying her," Terra scoffed. "But if you think she cares about any of you, you're kidding yourselves. She went on the warpath against Michelle because she wouldn't agree to follow her every command. So your choices are letting her continue to dictate every single vote, or take her down!"

"Well uh...I hear you! And Gentle Spring does too!" Bailey said. "But are you sure it's really the smart move for us right now?"

"Sometimes what's smart and what's right don't always line up," Terra insisted. "Was it SMART for me to cover myself in live scorpions in protest of the environmentally calamitous excavation project in Egypt? Hell no! I ended up in the hospital for two months, having to develop a language of blinks while they removed the poison. But sometimes you need to throw caution to the wind and take a stand!"

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Mimi-** Michelle kept to herself a lot, but it was clear she had her focus on holding off...well something bad out there. Strategically, yeah she wasn't doing us any good, but I'd like to avoid being eaten in my sleep thanks, so the rest of us are going to have to pick up the slack!

 **Bailey-** So now Terra wants out Sybil? Huh...what do you think of that, Gentle Spring? (turns to pony) Hm, true, true I suppose it was bound to happen eventually. The thing is though, even with Sybil being sort of cranky, we do still have a deal with her. If we betray that...well, don't you think that might trigger a domino effect? (looks to pony again) Oh sure, now you decide to go quiet.

 **Rory-** Eek! Well uh...uh, do I want to be Sybil's puppet all game? Well no, not really but...it's not _that_ bad...unless she does decide to vote me out? Would she do that? Well no...as long as I don't make her angry...oh but what if I do that by accident? Oh no!

* * *

After gathering various supplies of wood and vines, Mimi worked on constructing a crude cage by tying them together. After some quick handiwork, she stepped back to examine her completed project. She then tilted one edge up and slid herself underneath.

"Okay, real talk," she said to Seth, who was watching while seated on a boulder, "do you think this would hold me even if I were in my wolf form?"

"I'm quite certain that won't even hold you in your human form," Seth pointed out.

"Well that's not," Mimi tried to say, but accidentally bumped one of the branches and caused the entire structure to collapse helplessly. "Okay...so it needs work."

"Hello!" Terra suddenly barked as she marched towards the two. "It's time for us to talk!"

"Is that so?" Mimi asked.

"With Michelle gone, I've realized the game isn't going the way I need it to be. Or either of us need it to be," Terra stated. "We don't have the power in our hands now, someone else has been calling the shots and for all we know we could be next in line. It's time to fight back!"

"You don't say," Mimi said with an incredibly dry tone. "If only there'd been an alliance of sorts to avoid that sort of thing. Didn't Marlon have something like that in mind? Now what happened to him...help me out here, Terra, I'm blanking...oh that's right, you voted him out!"

"I don't have time for this level of pettiness," Terra scoffed. "The world moves on, so you have to too, or risk being left behind!"

"Mhm, and what happens to me if you suddenly change your mind again?" Mimi asked.

"If I may," Seth said, "I believe now is not the time to sass with this force of nature, currently giving off waves of power comparable to an active volcano. Terra, your chance of heart is most welcome. We would be happy to help turn nature's course around and let someone else have a turn at the bottom of the food chain."

"Perfect!" Terra exclaimed. "And that someone is none other than...Sybil!"

Meanwhile, after Terra had left Rory, the boy had continued to pace in frantic concern.

"Oh man, I don't even know what the right call is here," Rory stammered to himself. "If we vote out Sybil then how do we know Terra won't still just decide to take us out next...but how do we know that Sybil won't just ditch us too...but how do we know that if we vote Sybil it will even work and then we just make her mad and everyone wants to take us out!"

"Hey, buddy, right now you're thinking purely out of fear," Bailey told his friend. "Try thinking out of what good could also come of this."

"I...I...I don't know if I can do that!" Rory exclaimed.

"Alright, just take a deep breath," Bailey suggested.

Rory inhaled, and ended up sucking in a bug flying by his face.

"Ack! Bug! I swallowed...I'm choking…gonna die….why oh why did I breathe, why did I do that…?" Rory panicked being gagging.

Chloe came up from behind and delivered a smack to the back of the boy's head, causing him to cough up the fly which then carried on its way.

"Thanks," Rory wheezed breathlessly.

"Funny, I was actually coming to say thanks to the two of you," Chloe said. "Michelle leaving was the right move, and I know you two helped to ensure that happened."

"Well it wasn't hard, Sybil was already pretty set on the outcome," Bailey remarked. "But still happy to help. Hope you're feeling better!"

"I am, and I am thinking this will open the door for us to continue working together," Chloe said.

"Oh, that's…." Rory said before suddenly going silent.

Chloe seemed confused by his sudden silence, but glanced behind her to see Grace standing close behind her.

"Hello, yes?" Chloe said. "What do you want?"

"Hello!" Grace greeted. "Thanks for asking, but there's not much that I want at the moment. I am merely sharing the company of my friend, which while not always providing any constructive results, can lead to mutual mood improvement. My mood has already improved in your company, I hope yours can be the same."

"Uh yes, I'm feeling just super," Chloe replied awkwardly. "But I am sort of trying to have a conversation here."

"Yes, I can see that," Grace said with a nod. "Please carry on, I have no intention of interrupting."

Chloe glanced to the boys, before awkwardly returning to Grace.

"Do you think you could give me some distance?" Chloe asked.

Grace took a step back.

"A little more?" Chloe requested.

"If you are hoping to send me out of earshots, perhaps you would be better off simply saying as much," Grace stated. "Of course, I have already deduced that this is your intention, so perhaps I should clarify my own. I find that deliberately allowing myself to be left out of what is likely to be a critical conversation would be to willingly invite loss of influence on upcoming matters, which is already at a concerningly low level. Perhaps you could reconsider."

"You know, there's no need to make things awkward," Bailey said. "Rory and I were just going to take Rojo for a walk anyways and uh….patrol for any scary monsters."

"We were!?" Rory yelped in terror. "I mean uh….WE WERE!? Oh dear sorry, I thought by speaking with more volume it would give me more of a sense of confidence, but that kind of backfired."

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Mimi-** I don't know guys, I'm going to have a hard time trusting Terra. I realize beggars can't exactly be choosers, but I also know the story about how she had a deal with Marlon and then just voted him out at the first chance anyways. How am I supposed to believe a single word for someone like that?

 **Seth-** Terra is clearly moving at full force, like a flood with no thought of direction or consequence to all that it rushes over. In events like these, you cannot control the way the water flows, but you can ride off of it.

 **Chloe-** Last round was important to me, I got out the person I wanted out most, and it proved that there's still room for me to work with some of the original Nobodies. Not that I want to come crawling back to them by any means, but let's be real here, being fifth wheel to the Legends isn't exactly a plan I can expect to work out for me.

* * *

Rory covered his eyes with one hand as he let Bailey guide him with the other. The boy continued to shake in fear.

"Oh please, oh please, don't let the monsters eat me," Rory whimpered.

"Relax, I just said that 'cause I didn't want to make the girls feel awkward," Bailey said. "We can just circle back to the cabin. Rojo's gotten enough of a workout for now."

The two turned around, but noticed Sybil and Emily coming towards them.

"Aha, I've been looking for you losers," Sybil exclaimed.

"Hi losers!" Emily added with a wave. "Oh, but we use the term with love of course!"

"You maybe, I'm not," Sybil corrected. "Alright, here's the deal, dorks, Terra has lost her damn mind and is spiraling hard. I would love to help her, but she's clearly beyond our reach."

"Oh uh yeah...she definitely showed us that much," Rory remarked, rubbing the back of his head.

""Is that so!?" Sybil snapped, glaring at Rory. "She came to you to get me killed, eh? You better not have agreed to that!"

"Gaah….um er...of course not...I'd never...never ever," Rory exclaimed, cowering under his arms.

"Yeah, we just let her run her course and carry on," Bailey said with a shrug. "Gentle Spring doesn't like getting riled up, sometimes it's just best to let a flame burn through itself."

"Hm, well you should have called her a dumb mop, but there'll be time for that yet!" Sybil said. "The important thing is that she needs to leave tonight. She's clearly out of control."

"Mhm, I'm really trying my best to be a good supportive friend, but it's hard and sometimes when friends push you away, the best thing you can do for them is just let them go," Emily exclaimed.

"Right...sure, whatever," Sybil remarked to Emily dismissively.

Meanwhile, Grace was returning to the group of Marky, Mimi, and Seth.

"Well, how'd it go?" Marky asked. "Do you think we can count on Chloe to stick with us?"

"I have my doubts," Grace replied. "She seemed to prefer to keep her conversations secret with Bailey and Rory, which is not something typically done in trusting friendships."

"Well, I can't say I'm too surprised, but definitely disappointed," Marky sighed.

"We can't even keep Chloe with us?" Mimi scoffed. "Why does everyone have to be so sketchy!?"

"Though it would seem as though we may have a chance to get Terra on our side," Seth added.

"Terra eh?" Marky remarked. "I guess she's always been a little off her rocker, if there's a chance to pounce there, let's take it."

"The hardest part may already be done," Seth replied. "She seems to have already got her mind set on removing Sybil tonight."

"You won't hear any complaints from me if we can pull that off," Marky said.

"Let's just be careful about putting too much faith in with Terra though," Mimi cautioned. "She seems like the definition of a wild card. For all we know she could flip right back before the round is even up."

"Like a leaf, caught in the breeze," Seth added.

"We should definitely be careful and explore all options," Marky agreed. "But right now we need to take what we can get."

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Emily-** So like, obviously I don't really care about Terra and I'm just pretending to be her friend so she doesn't go psycho and try to murder me. If you ask me what I really think I'd say she's crazy, but you can't tell people they're crazy, it just makes it worse, so really I'm doing her a favor just pretending to support her delusions until she can get the help she needs. I wish that I could provide that to her...but I can't, so she has to go!

 **Marky-** Chloe's sort of been stuck with us by default, but I can't exactly blame her for trying to keep herself in the middle. She has an advantage the rest of us original Legends don't have, since she got to spend the first stage of the game with the Nobodies. So, on top of getting the numbers on our side, we also need to keep her feeling like the best path is to stick with us.

 **Mimi-** So now, we can't even count on Chloe? Come on, people, if we get a shot here we need to take it, or else we're going to regret it. I've felt like I've had to work hard for every single round to work out for me, while there are people who have never had to even break a sweat. I did not make it this far just to go out with a whimper.

* * *

(Later)

The group of eleven traveled through the woods, following a trail of plastic spiders of various sizes.

"I have to say, I'm not really feeling great about this set of clues," Emily remarked. "It does not bode well for this challenge."

"Have any of these challenges been all that friendly though?" Zach asked.

"Hm...fair enough," Emily replied.

The group came upon a tall stone structure that seemed to be various twisting spires intertwined. Chris and Chef stood before the structure, waiting for the teens to approach.

"Welcome, everyone!" Chris greeted. "This is the legendary Spider Spire, named for its shape as if it were a giant stone spiderweb. For this challenge, you'll be scaling to the top of this monument, where you will unfurl a flag to claim immunity. Not to worry though, it's just a name, there's no actual giant spiders roaming about."

"Uh Chris, you know legally we can't confirm that," Chef whispered to the host.

"Alright alright fine, we can neither confirm nor deny the existence of giant spiders," Chris said. "Well? Have fun!"

As soon as Chris and Chef stepped aside, Chloe broke away from the group and launched herself on the stone face. She scaled upwards with determination, pulling herself up to a jutting lip.

"Well, she's certainly not wasting any time," Marky noted.

"Oh, I could do that too," Mimi dared, as she charged after Chloe.

Mimi also flung herself at the section of rock, though she struggled to pull herself up any further, instead mainly resulting in just scrambling awkwardly against the stone. Eventually her grip gave out and she fell back to the ground.

"Arg!" she cursed.

"Here, let me give you a hand," Bailey offered, helping Mimi back up. "After all, cooperation is the strongest skill of all. I'll just give you a boost."

Bailey supported Mimi so that she could reach the same ledge and follow after Chloe.

"Now, if you'd be so kind as to offer me a hand," Bailey said as he reached up, but Mimi had already taken off, leaving him behind. "Oh...or not then, I guess."

"Well I don't know about the rest of you losers, but I am not about to take the death sentence route," Sybil remarked. "No ropes, no nets, yeah right that's an accident just waiting to happen. There has to be a safer way up."

"How can anywhere be safe when there could be giant spiders just waiting for us?" Emily exclaimed.

"Hey, didn't you hear Chris? They haven't seen anything like that," Zach assured.

"Oh yeah, and we should totally take Chris at his word," Sybil scoffed.

"It's okay, I'll feel safe...as long as you stick close to me," Emily assured.

"That's probably misplaced faith, but whatever," Sybil remarked.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Emily-** You know, I've never been great at challenges, and I'm not going to pretend like I'll have a great chance at winning this one. But it does give me a chance to appear as innocent and defenseless as possible, giving people even more of a reason to want to keep me safe, tee hee!

 **Terra-** This is a challenge that feels important for me to win. I know that leading the charge against Sybil is likely to put me in the spotlight, so if I'm immune it will give me all the freedom I need to go all out.

* * *

Sybil, Zach, and Emily had traveled around to a different side of the stone spire. They came across a path that led through a twisted overpass and upwards.

"Now this is the sort of thing we need," Sybil said. "Let's hope he leads to the top."

The three increased their pace and followed the path, slowly losing sunlight as they became covered by the crooked stone arches.

"Well guys, I have to say, this is pretty great that we all ended up together," Emily chimed. "Sort of like fate, you know, the way things are just meant to be."

"You mean after you clung to me?" Zach pointed out.

"I was compelled to just do what felt right," Emily insisted. "And now that we're all together, this feels like a great bonding chance."

"Look, if you want people to like you, I would suggest just...not talking," Sybil groaned.

"Oh-" Emily said.

"Not a word!" Sybil snapped. "Much better."

The group emerged into sunlight again shortly and found the path continuing to spiral upwards.

"Alright, not a second to waste!" Sybil insisted. "We've got to catch up...holy hell, this is steep...I need a breather…"

Sybil collapsed against the side of the stone, breathing heavily.

"Maybe we should go on ahead and let you catch up?" Zach proposed, already starting to move ahead.

"Sybil, I want you to know, that I sincerely hope you don't die," Emily said to the other girl.

"Please...just go," Sybil wheezed.

Meanwhile on the ground, Bailey and Rory were still preparing for their climb.

"Oh I don't know about this," Rory exclaimed.

"You've said the same thing about every challenge," Bailey pointed out.

"And none of them have really ended well for me," Rory sighed.

"You don't have to win, but all you can do is take things one step at a time, and grow a little with each step," Bailey said.

"Okay...okay," Rory tried to hype himself up. "Let's do it!"

Rory took a step forward and tripped over a small stone, falling flat on his face.

"Alright...that's enough progress for day," Bailey remarked with concern.

Bailey glanced back and noticed Terra pacing away from the twisted spire, seemingly investigating some of the nearby trees.

"Hey there!" Bailey greeted. "What are you up to here?"

"Thinking outside the box," Terra stated. "The others are rushing head on, trying to solve their problem with brute force. I, however, am used to looking for more effective ways to getting something done, and I think this challenge can be the same. These small trees could be used as something of a slingshot to get a headstart on the challenge."

"Ooh interesting, well I'd be happy to help," Bailey exclaimed.

"Of course you would, because you are weak!" Terra jeered. "You'd let people use and abuse you because you've convinced yourself it's the right thing to do, while leaving yourself with nothing!"

"Er uh...that's not true," Bailey stammered. "Don't you want to live in a world where people are nice to each other without wanting something in return?"

"Do I want to live in a fantasy? Sure, but unfortunately we're stuck dealing with a little something called reality which is far less sweet!" Terra retorted. "Now are you going to help me or what?"

"Um...is...is there a correct answer to that?" Bailey asked cautiously.

"Depends on what you value more," Terra growled while raising her fists. "Your pride or your ribs!"

"Ah, there's no need for that!" Bailey exclaimed. "Just let me know what you need."

"Good, good," Terra said with a nod, before quickly getting to work.

The girl used vines to tie together rocks, which she used to anchor for branches of a small tree, causing it to arch backwards.

"Hold this please," she said as she handed a vine to Bailey. "And this...now when I say go, release."

Terra climbed up and positioned herself on the wedged formation.

"Okay, fire!" Terra commanded.

Bailey released the stones, allowing the branches to lunge forward and launch Terra skyward.

"Ahaaa!" Terra cheered as she soared towards the spire.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Zach-** Well I guess it's for the best that Emily is trying to suck up to me than trying to work the others, but I wish she didn't feel the need to be some desperate about it. It's kind of disturbing.

 **Terra-** Of course I would love to believe in human goodness and everyone helping each other out, but it doesn't work that way! The people who leave their hearts open just get taken advantage of...and I will do the same if given the chance, because in this world it's kill or be killed and I will play by the rules to get what I need!

 **Bailey-** (shrugs) Sure, winning would be nice, but it's not the end of the world. I'll stick to the code of the Court of Kokomo and keep on helping those in need, not for a reward, but because it's my duty to make the world a friendlier place!

* * *

Wind whipped across Mimi as she struggled to cling to the jagged rock walls. She had reached considerable heights, though still had a fair amount of distance to go. The lip she'd been following had narrowed to the point where she was having to grip whatever hold she could or risk plummeting. The girl bit her lip nervously, trying to move her foot forward but finding the rocks underneath her wobbling with unease.

"Okay, you can do this girl," Mimi assured herself. "You always said you wanted to master your own stunts."

Mimi glanced up and saw Chloe, still managing to move up the uneven face, and quickly leaving her behind.

"How does she do it!?" Mimi groaned to herself. "If she can, then I can too!"

Mimi took a risk and tossed herself further along the passage. The rocks shook beneath her, but she managed to make it across without slipping.

"Yes!" she cheered.

As she gradually pursued after Chloe, the two girls found themselves at a gap as one spire ended and another hung over it.

"Dead end!?" Mimi groaned.

Chloe however, clenched her teeth before making a drastic leap. The girl flung through the air and tried to grab onto a hold on the higher spire. She missed however and began to flail awkwardly. But, as she fell, she managed to flip her body, swinging her legs upwards and squeezing them against a firm jagged stone, leaving her hanging upside down.

"How in the hell…" Mimi breathed.

"Coming through!" Terra suddenly announced as she soared upwards like a rocket.

The girl made contact with the higher spire, clutching to the stone, and causing several other small rocks to come loose and rain down on Mimi.

"Ah!" Mimi cried as she tried to move aside. "Rude and completely uncalled for!"

Meanwhile, lower down, Seth, Marky, and Grace were following a different path. The three had found a wider passage to follow that didn't require them to scale the jagged mountain face.

"I cannot help but feel as though we are at a disadvantage here," Grace noted. "By taking less risks, we are limiting our progress."

"Hey, I'd take safe and steady over free climbing this twisted mess," Marky replied.

"Valid point," Grace said with a nod. "Are we even certain this path will take us where we need to be though?"

"Well uh...it could," Marky replied less certainly. "Seth, what do you think?"

Seth stroke his chin thoughtfully while glancing upwards at the sky.

"Hm…" he said while tapping the stone. "I don't know."

"Really?" Marky sighed.

"The spider does not build a web with a plan in mind, but rather let's natural instinct lead it through the art of a masterpiece," Seth replied.

"So what you're saying is if we just keep at it, we'll get where we're supposed to be?" Marky asked.

"Assuming we are the spider, and not the fly," Seth replied.

"That's reassuring," Marky sighed.

"Based on your sarcastic tone, I am finding you mean this is not reassuring in the slightest," Grace noted.

"Well all we can do is keep going now," Marky remarked.

"False, we could return to the ground," Grace pointed out. "However such action would likely lead to a 0% success rate and thus I can understand why you would not bother listing it as a viable option."

As the group continued to wind around the spires, they eventually rounded a bend that led them to the end of their path. The passage met with a rocky face, not leaving much room for walking.

"Hm...perhaps returning to the start may be more viable now," Grace noted.

"No, we can't afford to lose that much time," Marky said. "Look, I think there's more of a ledge up there, we just need to make this climb."

Marky began to feel around for any solid holds. He pulled himself up and shakily scaled upwards. Seth followed behind him and Grace soon after. Marky clenched his teeth together, straining his arm to try to reach up to the next solid grip in the rock. With a firm push, he was able to launch himself up and eventually pull himself up to the ledge. However, once he had reached his goal, the rock began to crack and crumble.

"Yikes!" he gasped as he tried to move quickly away from the crumbling section.

Marky managed to reach safety, but the sudden tumble of stones caused Seth and Grace to have to drop back down. With the change in the surface, they suddenly lacked a clear way to climb back up.

"Hang on, guys, I'll find a way to get you up here," Marky called.

"You said it yourself, we don't have the time to waste," Seth called back.

"Yes, your attempt to put personal gain aside for helping is duly noted, however overall moot, seeing as the attempt itself is likely to not do anyone any good," Grace added.

"Follow the web...let it guide you to where you need to be," Seth said.

"You guys are so weird, but got it, I won't let you down!" Marky said.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** Obviously I've trained hard for this sort of thing and I know what I'm capable of, but the real test of strength is when you don't know how far you can go. It's just a matter of putting my determination ahead of anything else and pushing myself to refuse to stop.

 **Seth-** This web tells a twisted tale, and perhaps it is for the better that I find my journey cut short before I end up too deeply entangled to escape.

 **Grace-** Do I believe Marky will have a shot at catching up? Absolutely not, that would be quite impractical. However, deflating his ego would not serve any good. And if he does defy the odds, I believe it will be a meaningless victory that can bring us some sense of shared joy.

* * *

Emily and Zach continued to travel along the spiralling path. The ground below them become more and more distant, more faded, presenting the staggering height they had reached.

"Just the two of us now!" Emily said brightly.

"Yep," Zach replied with far less enthusiasm.

"Not to dump on Sybil, but without her this just feels so much more natural, more at peace you know, free of that third wheel," Emily continued to recant.

"Sure," Zach said with a brief nod.

"So, a photographer eh? That's got to be exciting!" Emily exclaimed.

"Well, it's more than just taking pretty pictures," Zach replied. "I look for pictures that tell a story, or uncover secrets. Rumors can spread so easily, but with a picture, you're free to draw countless conclusions."

"Wow, so interesting, that is so cool!" Emily exclaimed dramatically.

"Um...yeah," Zach remarked, feeling somewhat awkward at Emily's notable fakeness.

"I find that so interesting, everything you say just opens my eyes!" Emily continued to express with over-exaggerated flare.

The two came up to another overpass as the twisted spires overlapped. As they approached the dark cavern, the two paused to the sound of something scurrying in the shadows.

"What was that!?" Emily gasped, suddenly clutching Zach in fear.

"Maybe the wind?" Zach proposed, unconvinced.

However, it was not the wind. The two stood in horror as something moved through the shadows. Eventually a gigantic furry spider crawled into the light, hissing angrily at the intruders. The creature was as big as a wolf; its eight legs draping rhythmically along the ground as it approached the two.

"Oh my god do you see that!?" Emily shrieked, tightening her grip on Zach.

"Are you seriously asking me if I see the giant freaking spider!? Yes Emily, I see the giant freaking spider!" Zach screamed back at her.

"What do we do!?" Emily sobbed.

"How should I know!? This isn't exactly covered in wilderness survival!" Zach shouted.

The spider continued to approach the two.

"Please don't eat me, eat him!" Emily cried, shoving Zach forward.

"Wow!" Zach scoffed at Emily. "Here's a thought, let's get out of here!"

The two took off running back the way they had come.

"Don't look back, don't let it catch us!" Emily cried.

"Uh…" Zach suddenly said, grabbing Emily by the shoulders to stop her. "I think we may have bigger problems."

Zach pointed upwards to reveal an entire horde of giant spiders crawling down the straight towards the duo with menacing intent.

Higher up and nearing the top, Chloe was beginning to find that the passage was beginning to flatten out, making it easier to walk without having to cling to the jagged edge. The flat section spread out underneath a wider overpass as many spires converged together. As she tentatively approached the shadowy domain, the girl heard something fast approaching from behind her.

"Make way!" Terra grunted as she sprinted from behind Chloe.

"Oh no you don't!" Chloe exclaimed, returning to a fast pace.

Both girls ran side by side into the the large dark pit.

"Oof, ow, ooh!" Terra grunted as she tripped over a boulder and fell to the ground.

"Heh, looks like you should have been watching where you were going," Chloe taunted, before stepping into a crevice and losing her footing as well.

As the two girls pulled themselves up, they then noticed the sounds of movement around them. The combination of a low thumping of something hitting the ground all around them, and the scattered tapping of scurrying footsteps. The two girls backed into each other nervously as they could just barely made out the shadowy figures of dozens of spiders approaching them. The creatures all hissed angrily, together creating a fearful roar.

"Not good," Chloe breathed.

"Alright, you abominations, I'm going to give you the same choice I gave the head of security at Maybelline's Animal Testing Site...get out of my way, or die," Terra threatened.

The creatures continued to approach.

"I see you've made your choice," Terra said while narrowing her eyes.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Emily-** Personally, I am hoping that Zach chooses to focus on the good times we had today and overlook the uh...moment of weakness I had when my life was at risk.

 **Chloe-** Well, I'd be lying if I said I had ever faced off against a horde of prehistoric spider monsters, but I'm not about to let this stop me now!

 **Marky-** I was just coming up behind those two girls, when I noticed that...well something beastly seemed to show up. This can work out for me though, if I can just sneak by while they're busy then maybe I'll have a chance to take the lead.

* * *

Emily had forced herself up on top of Zach's shoulders, much to his protest.

"You know, once they eat me that's not going to do you much good," Zach grunted.

"Well be a man and keep me safe then!" Emily ordered. "Use your camera!"

"My camera!?" Zach scoffed.

"Yes, if B grade horror films have taught me nothing else, it's that all monsters hate bright flashing lights," Emily exclaimed.

However, Zach had already tossed his camera at the nearest spider. The item bounced off its round head harmlessly.

"Not like that, nitwit!" Emily cried.

Meanwhile, deeper in the heart of the nest, Terra and Chloe were having to fight off spiders from all sides.

"Take this, and that, and one of these!" Terra exclaimed while spinning her fist in one direction and delivering a kick in another. "Still coming back for more, eh? Not the brightest bunch are you!?"

Chloe, on the other side, was making swift movements to dodge the spiders leaping at her, instead allowing them to crash into each other. The girl tried to push forward, very slowly making her way deeper through the shadows.

Along the side of the wall, Marky kept himself pressed as flat as he could while sidestepping slowly. He breathed as quietly as possible as the spiders brushed past him, focused on the girls and not noticing his presence. Some loose gravel crunched beneath his foot, and he squeezed his eyes shut in fear. The boy held his breath entirely and waited a minute before carefully opening his eyes again and carrying on his steady progress. Eventually the boy edged towards the other side of the covered section, emerging back out to sunlight. With the wind whipping against his face, he glanced up and saw the furled flag, just a brief climb above.

Chloe, however, caught sight of the boy as she also neared the exit. Glancing back, Chloe saw Terra nearly buried in spiders jumping over her body from all sides. Although the girl refused to give up the fight.

"Is that all you got!?" Terra shouted as she shook her body wildly.

Seeing Marky starting to vanish from sight, Chloe began to increase her pace, using her shoulders and elbows to knock aside the spiders.

"Move, move, move!" she ordered as she forced her way through the swarm.

With Chloe catching up on him, Marky leapt up and pulled himself upwards along the final reach. The boy struggled, but managed to find a place to lock his feet in and continue to push himself up. Chloe broke free to the sunlight, though several of the spiders still tried to cling to her body. The girl managed to shake them loose. Chloe glared up at Marky, before glancing back down and grabbing of the spiders by its limb. She tossed the creature upwards so that it collided with Marky, clinging to his back instead.

"Gaaah!" Marky cried as he suddenly wrestled with the creature and slipped off of his grip.

Chloe took the chance to jump up and climb the wall, moving once more at an alarm rat, closing in on the flag. The girl reached her goal, and untied the cord, releasing the red flag to wave in the air.

"Looks like...someone just won immunity!" Chris announced, trying to look through a pair of binoculars. "Wow, you weren't kidding, Chef, these are useless."

"Let this be a lesson to stop bein' so damn cheap!" Chef barked.

"Let's get everyone down here and announce results," Chris said.

A brief transition later and everyone was back at the base, though Zach, Emily, Chloe, Marky, and Terra were notably ravaged.

"Wow, okay I'm definitely thinking we made the right call not getting involved in this one," Bailey remarked.

"The first to reach the flag was none other than Chloe!" Chris announced. "She will be immune to the Final 10. The rest of you, good luck in this vote, since one of you is going home!"

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Marky-** Wow, I came a lot closer than I expected...thanks Chloe. (grimaces) I guess she really...really wanted that win.

 **Chloe-** Success!

 **Bailey-** You know, sometimes you take a look at the amount of trouble the others got in, just to come up with nothing and you think...courage is great and all, but sometimes fear is just the smarter choice.

* * *

(Later)

Back at the camp, Bailey, Rory, and Chloe walked by the cabin.

"Wow, great job on the win, Chloe!" Bailey exclaimed. "That must have taken a lot of guts, this challenge did not look easy at all."

"Y-yeah," Rory stammered. "I wasn't even anywhere close to the action, but just hearing about it afterwards is gonna give me nightmares for weeks."

"Thanks guys," Chloe replied with a smile. "What can I say? I had my mind set on one thing, and no spider armies were going to stop me from that."

"Princess Kokomo will definitely be dedicating a holiday after your courage," Bailey said.

"But enough of that, we've still got to get through this vote," Chloe said. "Do you two know where you're standing?"

"Oh well...right uh...it's kind of...it's a bit of a...well it's just a little," Rory mumbled uncertainly.

"Look, I'm sure either way here we're going to have to make someone upset, and there's just no way around that, as much as it saddens Gentle Spring to admit," Bailey sighed, "But if we're being smart here...well I don't really think we can trust Terra at all. She got set off and completely flipped the script...who's to say she won't do the same again if we give her the chance."

Rory pointed to Bailey in agreement as he remarked, "Yes, exactly, that! She's uh...well she's like an explosion just waiting to happen...or you know, an explosion that already happened but then there's going to be more explosions because the first one knocked over a propane tank…"

"Got it," Chloe said with a nod. "Don't worry, I think we're on the exact same mindset here."

As Chloe turned, she saw Sybil and Emily approaching.

"Hello there," Sybil greeted, "please leave, I would like to have a private conversation with my alliance of four. Normally I'd be a bit more subtle about it, but I know Chloe is telling everyone anyways, so I don't really give a crap anymore. Shoo, shoo, shoo!"

"Bye Chloe! Don't take it personally, you're still my best friend, it's strictly business!" Emily exclaimed with a bright smile.

"Whatever, I was just leaving anyways," Chloe remarked.

Sybil immediately glared at Bailey and Rory.

"What was she doing here!?" Sybil demanded.

"Nothing sinister," Bailey assured. "Just confirming the vote on Terra."

"Ah, good," Sybil relaxed. "As far as we know, Terra is trying to rally the votes against us, so we need to slam that down hard!"

"Oh this is just so perfect!" Emily chimed. "After all our differences, we can all come together and unite in taking out Terra. Truly a miracle."

"You sicken me," Sybil groaned.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** I definitely feel like me and those two boys have made a lot of progress in just a couple rounds. We never had a super tight relationship before, and that might have been my fault for not thinking to focus on them. Sybil on the other hand has never once indicated to care about me in any way so...I may have a lot to think about tonight.

 **Bailey-** We have to make a choice here, Terra is after Sybil and Sybil is after Terra. Both expect something from us, neither are going to accept a compromise (sighs). At times like this, all we can really do is use our heads and make the decision that feels right.

 **Emily-** Going after Terra really is the plain and simple way to go here. She's shown to so many people that she's just unstable and untrustworthy, so no matter our differences, I think this will be a unanimous decision.

* * *

Terra ushered together Mimi, Marky, Seth, and Grace into a grove in the woods.

"Alright, I've gathered you all here because it's easier than having to speak to each of you individually," Terra stated. "Work smart not hard! It should be clear that you all need a chance to strike, something to change the course of this game, all this time you've been pushed around!"

Terra knocked Seth to the ground to illustrate her point.

"But no more!" Terra exclaimed. "It's time to pick yourselves up fight back! Tonight we take out Sybil!"

She was met with some uncertain silence.

"Okay," Mimi finally offered.

"Okay? OKAY!? How about a little more conviction!?" Terra barked.

"We're definitely on board to take out Sybil," Marky said. "I don't think she's ever bothered to spare two words to any of us."

"And those two words are usually 'get lost' or 'shut up,'" Grace added.

"Well it's time to get FOUND and shut DOWN the corruption that has been holding you back!" Terra exclaimed. "Tonight, we revolt and change the course of history!"

"Um...hi?" Chloe remarked, approaching the group. "Sorry, am I missing out on the communist manifesto?"

"Aha, good you're here too! Vote Sybil!" Terra ordered. "She refers to you as a crazy person!"

"Duly noted," Chloe replied. "I don't think you'll find any issue convincing anyone from this group. Why don't you use the rest of the time to try to get the others to flip on her?"

"Why don't YOU stop trying to tell me what to do!?" Terra scoffed. "But I was going to do that anyways, so...bye! Vote Sybil!"

"Well, she's not mincing words," Chloe remarked as Terra left.

"You can say that again," Marky said with a slight laugh. "Honestly I think we can trust her to stick to her word, this doesn't feel like a trick...if it were, it wouldn't make a lot of sense."

"That's giving credit that her mind makes logical sense," Mimi remarked.

"Whether she's serious or not, I'm not sure if it's really smart to give Terra that kind of power," Chloe brought up. "Does she have any reason to stay loyal to us? Seems like we'd just be putting her in the ultimate swing vote position."

"Even if we vote her out, it's still gonna be 5-5," Marky said with a shrug.

"Not necessarily," Chloe said. "I think those five are going to cave in on each other soon enough. But if we side with Terra then we're just ensuring they'll stick together again."

"No offense," Mimi said, "but that's putting a lot of faith in your word that the Nobodies are going to turn on each other. I haven't seen anything that would back that up."

"Well, we're going to need a decision one way or another," Marky remarked. "What do you two think?"

Marky turned to face Grace and Seth.

"I think...that if you keep waiting for rain, looking to the skies won't make the clouds form any faster...and you'll have lost all the more time for it," Seth contributed.

"I think the same," Grace agreed with a nod.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** For me, I know I have nothing with Sybil, and this could be the perfect chance to get her out. But I feel as though that would be firmly planting me on a side where I'm not sure if I'd have the best future. It's a delicate matter to handle.

 **Marky-** Assuming everyone is telling the truth, we should be in a position to take out either Terra or Sybil. This is a great break from the way things have gone so far, but we have to play it smart. I'd rather take the chance to knock out someone firmly against us and rely on Terra playing swing vote, but I know what Chloe's not saying is that she'd rather have monopoly on the swing vote position.

 **Grace-** I actually do not know what Seth was saying, but in my understanding of debate dynamics, the best way to come off without alienating anyone is to simply agree with the last point addressed.

* * *

Chloe paced along the river, kicking a stone into the water.

"Is this what a victory lap looks like for you?" she heard someone remark. "I expected something a little more grandiose."

Chloe glanced up to see Zach resting in a tree.

"Didn't expect to see you here," Chloe said. "Are you really leaving behind all the others just to poke fun at me?"

"Who, me? I'd never," Zach said as he slid down the tree to join Chloe. "Nah, the way I see it, the camp's gonna go up in flames with this little feud. Rather than get all tangled up in that, I'd prefer to just kick back and let the fire burn."

"You are so smug, you know that?" Chloe remarked.

"I hear it's part of my charm," Zach replied with a grin.

"I think you need a second opinion," Chloe said dryly.

"You still haven't answered my question though," Zach jabbed. "Are you just letting everyone else scramble while you kick back with immunity? Doesn't quite seem like your style."

"I'm thinking," Chloe stated. "I've got a lot to consider."

"Ah, you and me both then," Zach remarked.

"Don't strain your brain too much," Chloe said dryly.

""You and I may both be in the clear tonight," Zach continued, "but that means we've got to figure out what side we want to be on when the dust settles."

"Only one of us is immune," Chloe pointed out, "Already counting yourself in the clear seems a bit presumptuous don't you think?"

"Hey, cocky charm, remember?" Zach said with another grin. "I'm true to the brand if nothing else."

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Zach-** Terra and Sybil are both going at it this round, and honestly I don't want to get too attached to either of them here. They're both the messy sort of players who are bound to make enemies. Great to have around to attract all the attention, but only a matter of time before they dig a hole they can't get out of. The question is, which one is it going to be tonight?

* * *

(Elimination)

The group of eleven arrived at the elimination platform and each took their seats. Chef and Chris stood in front of the Void of Shame.

"Welcome, welcome, Legends and Nobodies alike!" Chris greeted. "Time for another vote, eh? Who's excited!?"

"I am!" Terra exclaimed proudly, before shooting a glare to Sybil.

"We're all excited to be rid of you," Sybil remarked.

"And if I recall, you were quite thrilled to be rid of Michelle last round," Chris said to Sybil. "How's that worked out so far?"

"Marvelous," Sybil stated.

"There hasn't been any regrets about getting rid of the camp's monster slayer?" Chris asked.

"Well uh...maybe just a few…" Rory said shakily. "There's been all sorts of uh...scary noises in the nights. I think something bad is out there!"

"Oh wow, scary knows, I guess we're screwed!" Sybil said sarcastically.

"You know, I didn't want to say anything before I had more evidence...but somebody here is a werewolf! Possibly me!" Mimi exclaimed.

"Well that's...certainly exciting," Chris remarked with confusion.

"I think she's finally lost it," Zach said in a mock whisper. "The shell shock from luxury to…" Zach paused to gesture all around him, "this, has finally taken its toll."

"Always got to have something clever to say, don't you?" Mimi huffed with a roll of her eyes.

"Better than having something crazy to say," Zach remarked with a laugh.

"Moving on...coming off of a near unanimous vote last round, where does that leave us now?" Chris asked.

"Well...I think the girls have made it pretty obvious already," Marky remarked, "but today we had a feud explode on our hands and I think it's going to be a choice between Sybil or Terra."

"And do share, where did this drama stem from?" Chris asked eagerly.

"The recesses of pure insanity?" Sybil scoffed. "I wish I could tell you the inner workings of this lunatic's brain, I really do, Chris, but I'd probably need two years of intensive study, a couple PhDs and an MRI machine."

"It's actually quite simple, though I'm not surprised you're trying to pain logic as insanity seeing as it doesn't support your crooked system," Terra scoffed. "Sybil has never treated me with any respect, in fact she hasn't treated any of us with respect and we all know it's true. I stuck with her because I thought it was the 'smart move' but there's nothing smart about enabling someone who will never see me as anything more than a disposable number to put in line, and I implore the rest of the cast to consider what that means for themselves as well!"

"Oh give me a break," Sybil scoffed. "Yes, I'm here to win this game and I'd vote out any of you to do it. We're all here to win, that's not a crime against humanity like you seem to think. We can't all be as fake as Emily."

"Whaaaat!? I'm not fake!" Emily gasped as she placed her hand on her heart.

"Shut the hell up, Emily," Sybil sneered. "If people want to take a minute to reflect, I think it would be much more useful to consider how much faith you want to give someone who will flip on a dime!"

"The only people who have to worry are the ones who disrespect me," Terra said. "You had me on your side and you lost me, now you're going to pay the price."

"Well we'll just see about that," Sybil dismissed.

"I guess that means...it's time to vote!" Chris exclaimed. "Bailey, kick us off!"

Bailey hopped out of his seat and moved to the voting section silently.

* * *

(Later)

"Alright, alright, we have the votes!" Chef announced as he stepped forward. "You do not want to see your name come up. The player who receives the most votes...it's the pit for you!"

"So let's get to it," Chris exclaimed. "The first vote is for...Sybil!"

"Second vote…" Chef said, "Terra!"

"Third vote...Sybil!"

"Fourth vote...Terra!"

"Fifth vote...Terra!"

"Sixth vote...Sybil!"

"Seventh vote...Terra!"

"Eighth vote...Sybil!"

"Ninth vote...Sybil!"

"Tenth vote….Terra!"

"Final vote!" Chef barked, "is for…"

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"Sybil!"

"Bet your tea leaves didn't predict that," Marky chuckled.

"Oh shaddup!" Sybil sneered as she got up and marched towards the void.

"And she's outta here!" Chris exclaimed as Sybil jumped into the dark pit. "From a near unanimous decision, to the vote being decided by one person...quite the turning of tables. But congratulations to those of you who have made Top Ten! You may now head back to camp!"

* * *

 **Votes:**

 **Sybil-** Oh I wonder who to vote...Terra, duh!

 **Terra-** Sybil, your arrogance will be your demise. Never underestimate the power of the people. Revolution!

 **Marky-** I'm voting for Sybil. You clearly have no interest in working with me, so I'm not passing up this chance!

 **Bailey-** Terra...sorry, but I'm not sure how much I can trust you. This sucks, but it feels right!

 **Rory-** Terra...please don't kill me, oh please, oh please, oh please!

 **Mimi-** It's time to shake things up. Sybil you've been sitting comfortably for too long, it's time for that to change!

 **Grace-** I will be voting for Sybil. I don't find you to be very nice...perhaps you should work on that.

 **Emily-** Terra, you're so crazy, wow, get the help you need, bye!

 **Zach-** Sorry, Terra, you kind of went off the deep end today, and that's not the kind of person I'd like to ride with.

 **Seth-** Sybil...the rain has come...and you will find yourself washed away.

 **Chloe-** After some careful consideration, I need to make the decision that feels right to me, not what feels safest. Sybil, you've basically been sitting on a throne for a large portion of this game. If I'm going to move on up, you need to get on out. See ya!

* * *

(Conclusion)

"And that does it for another night!" Chris exclaimed as he and Chef remained at the wooden platform. "Sybil's scamming ways could only get her so far-"

Chris was interrupted by the sound of rustling coming from behind him.

"What was that!?" he exclaimed as he hid behind Chef. "Did we disturb any unmarked graves today!?"

"Well if they were unmarked, we wouldn't really know…" Chef pointed out.

"I don't want your logic, I want you to go see what that is!" Chris ordered. "Go, go!"

"What!? You crazy!? I ain't taking on no freaky phantom unarmed!" Chef refused.

"Here!" Chris said as he pried off a loose plank of wood and handed it to Chef. "Now you're armed! Get to it!"

Chef nervously tiptoed around to the back of the platform. The source of the clatter seemed to be coming from a storage shed.

"Aaaah, don't eat my skin, phantom!" Chef cried as the door opened.

"Oh hello, Chef," greeted Seth as he emerged with a spool of chains.

Mimi followed behind the boy, carrying more chains.

"Do you mind if we borrow these?" Seth asked.

"And what in the world are you crazy, kinky kids doing with that!?" Chef demanded.

"We're going to chain ourselves to each other!" Mimi announced proudly. "That way if I'm the werewolf, I'll be chained to Seth. And if he's the werewolf, he'll be chained to me!"

"And then what? Whichever one of you doesn't wolf out gets eaten by the other?" Chef asked.

"Hm...I don't think we thought this through," Mimi whispered to Seth.

"We definitely did not think this through," Seth agreed.

"Chef!? Hello!? Are you dead? Can I continue my wrap up!?" Chris called.

"Yeah, yeah, just a couple dumb kids," Chef said.

"As I was saying!" Chris continued. "We're down to ten. It looks like the Legends have the upper hand for now, but how long will that last!? With players dabbling in the middle, anything can happen! Will someone else flip? Will cores crumble? Will monsters sneak in through the window and snatch unsuspecting kids in their sleep? Find out on the next episode of...Total Drama...Legends vs Nobodies!"


	13. A Heist to Remember

"Welcome back to Total Drama Legends vs Nobodies!" Chris McClean exclaimed, lying back instead of a cushioned coffin. "Now I know what you're thinking, what's with the whole vampire act, eh Chris?"

"Yeah Chris, what's with the whole vampire act!?" Chef asked, standing upright and glancing down at his cohost with skepticism.

"If you'd let me finish…" Chris said with irritation. "It's a simple tactic called playing dead. It works on bears, wolves, and mountain lions, why shouldn't it wrong on bloodthirsty spirits and demons that may be lurking out there? If some ghost or goblin comes knocking on my door, I'll just shut myself in here and they'll leave me right alone."

"How you gonna get out of there once they're gone?" Chef pointed out.

"Chef, don't worry, I've got this all figured out," Chris assured. "How about a demonstration? First I'll pull this shut."

Chris did as such, followed by muffled narration from inside the casket.

"Chris, hello?" Chef said while tapping on the outside. "Uuh...I think he's gonna be in there for a a while."

Chef turned to face the camera in Chris's stead.

"Alright, listen up you punks, here's where we left off," Chef took over. "It was looking like an alliance formed on the original Nobodies would be running this whole business...till that wild hooligan Terra decided to declare war on Sybil. With those two going at it, everyone else had to pick a side, and Sybil's luck ran out. Now what are these crazy kids gonna do next? I wish I knew! So let's find out together right now on Total Drama Legends vs Nobodies!"

* * *

(Merge Camp)

Clouds of mist billowed over the open fields and between the trees of the woods, creating a dim atmosphere as the sun began to rise. Marky and Seth had left the cabin and leisurely paced through the foggy surroundings.

"Ah, so the world blurs...the lines blend, and what's real and what's yet a dream becomes even more unclear," Seth noted, while intently examining the white wisps.

"Uh...yep, you said it," Marky remarked uncertainly. "That's a good thing, right? It sounds like a good thing to me."

"There is no good or bad, only what happens," Seth replied.

"Well I'm taking it as a good thing, because I'm in a good mood today!" Marky said. "Seriously, things are looking up for us for a change, let's just enjoy that!"

"Hm...true, the simple pleasures are often fleeting...they ought to be cherished, before they wilt," Seth replied.

The two noted a pair of other figures that they were soon approaching nearby. Mimi was confidently standing over Zach who had leaned back against a tree.

"Well, well, well, not so smug anymore are you, Mr. Know It All?" Mimi taunted. "The ball's in my court now, no more will you get to laugh it up like you've got the upper hand, because you don't!"

"Very true," Zach said with a nod. "Well played, I guess I'd better watch my step now."

Mimi was notably frustrated that Zach maintained his confident aura and cocky glint in his eyes.

"Why are you acting so cool?" Mimi demanded. "You should be freaking out right now. Begging for mercy!"

"Is that what you want? Would that make you feel better?" Zach asked coyly.

"Ooh cut it out! This is my win!" Mimi snapped.

"Just leave him be," Marky told Mimi. "He's just putting on a brave face. We've still got this."

"Whatever you say," Zach remarked with a playful tone as he departed from the group.

"Ugh I hate that guy," Mimi seethed. "All I wanted was to be able to rub it in his face for a change, and he still ruins that!"

"I know, but don't worry, we won last night, the power is in our hands and he's not going to change that," Marky assured.

"Nothing in life can ever be promised...other than death," Seth cautioned. "Storms come to pass in the blink of an eye, the worst ones sometimes the most sudden."

"Can you let me enjoy this moment for five minutes...five minutes, can you give me that without saying something ominous!" Marky exclaimed.

Meanwhile, Bailey and Rory were walking and discussing in the woods together.

"Okay, let's just get this over with, simple, clean, get it done, ripping off the bandage," Rory stammered.

"You are braver than you know," Bailey encouraged. "You have the courage of a thousand knights in your heart!"

"I'll just walk up to her and say...Terra, I'm sorry I voted for you, it was all a big misunderstanding," Rory recapped. "And then I'll book it out of there like my life depends on it."

"Just approach her with openness and honesty," Bailey suggested. "It's like Gentle Spring says, a friendship based on fear is bound to fall apart sooner or later. Respect and trust are needed if it's going to work."

"Look, uh Bailey...er Gentle Spring," Rory said, turning to face the plush Pony in Bailey's arms, "thanks for the advice but uuh...have you seen Terra? She's a full blown psycho!"

"Is that so?" Terra suddenly said as she approached from behind Rory.

"Aaaaaah!" Rory cried as he leapt into the air before spinning around to face Terra, shaking rigidly. "Terra, I uh...I just...I said...I want...I have...I think...I need...I should…"

"Save it!" Terra said as she pressed a finger to Rory's lips. "I know exactly what you have to say. I completely understand."

"...You do?" Rory asked.

"Oh yes," Terra replied. "I understand that you are a hopeless case, a shell of a human being, devoid of any such will power needed to live a life worth living. You would rather have The Man fill your head with false promises so you can sleep easy and take the path of least resistance, so that you can shut out those that are actually trying to help you. I'd call you a sheep, but a sheep at least has a spine, you on the other hand are a worm! I tried to show you the way, I tried to give you a chance, but here's the difference between you and me, I am not afraid to do the dirty work needed to make a change, which is why I will get ahead while you will fall into a hollow pit of despair that you helped dig! And here's the thing, I don't even need to do a single thing about you, since you've already proven to be far too helpless to provide any meaningful threat to myself without some puppeteer pulling your strings. So I bid you...adieu!"

With that, Terra marched off from the duo striding with invigorated determination. Rory just continued to shake where he stood.

"Well...how does that make you feel, Rory?" Bailey asked.

"Honestly, right now I'm just breathing in relief at being in one piece," Rory replied.

"See? Things are going great!" Bailey exclaimed. "Also I didn't want to say this earlier, but she definitely could have outrun you, so that plan was never going to work anyways."

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Mimi-** For the last couple rounds, Zach has been lording it up that he's the one in control, but no more! Last night, we managed to turn the tables and knock out one of his closest allies. The game is far from over, but I am definitely going to take the time to appreciate this turning of fortune.

 **Zach-** Not going to lie, last round was definitely a harsh blow and not what I needed. I thought things were looking good for me and now? Well if this were a cartoon, this is the part where the screen would go grey and the word YIKES would appear over my face. But I can't afford to show any of that. The people I'm dealing with are still all highly unstable, so long as I don't spark the next flame, someone else will beat me to it.

 **Rory-** Terra has sort of been...I guess you could call her an ally by force. I never asked her for any help, but she gave it anyways, and then I tried to vote her out. At the time it seemed like the right thing to do, but it was clearly a big mistake and now I'm not just fearing for my state in this game, but for my life.

 **Terra-** You see, people!? When you want something done, you can't just sit around thinking of what if, waiting for someone else to take fate by the balls! I saw the way things were going, so I made a difference, and those that clung to their misguided beliefs that everything would be fine are left to SUFFER now! I am the master of my own fate now!

* * *

As Chloe wandered through the woods on her own, she noticed Grace standing oddly still ahead of her.

"Grace..what are you doing?" Chloe asked as she approached the girl.

"Ah, Chloe, hello, what a chance encounter this is!" Grace exclaimed. "I prefer chance encounters as opposed to arranged meetings, as it is much more natural and comfortable for all parties."

"Uh sure...that's exactly what this is," Chloe remarked.

"Perhaps now that we are together we shall share in joy that comes in reaching a mutual goal of arduous accomplishment," Grace replied. "Our relationship, while currently in a positive status, could always stand to endure more bonding moments, such as this, so that it may move to a stronger sentimental value, and imbue a more effective emotional connection to mar any decisions possibly leading to my demise."

"Well when you put it like that, how could I say no?" Chloe remarked dryly.

"Many may feel uncomfortable opening up to trust in a game that encourages betrayals, however I am glad that you are able to set that apprehension aside to proceed with a meaningful relationship between the two of us," Grace said.

"Chloooooeeeee!" the two heard the distance cry of someone approaching.

Emily sprinted towards Chloe at full speed and tossed her arms around the girl's neck.

"Chloe, thank goodness last night worked out!" Emily breathed. "I was so confused, so scared, so much was happening all at once, I still don't fully understand it all. But I was feeling so lost, so uncertain, and I just had to think of you, of how much you've done for me, what it means to be your friend to guide me back to safety."

"Didn't you vote in the minority?" Chloe pointed out.

"I did, and I will never forgive myself for being so blind, so clueless to what was right before my face," Emily exclaimed dramatically while throwing her head back. "I should have never doubted you, Chloe, you've always been my best friend, you've always looked out for me, and I got so swept up in the chaos of this heavy game that I lost sight of what truly mattered."

"Uh-huh," Chloe said unconvinced.

"You know what it was? It was Stockholm Syndrome!" Emily exclaimed. "Yes, that's what it was! Those boys Stockholm Syndromed me! They got in my head and tricked me into thinking I was doing the right thing! But I'm free now! You freed me, Chloe! Now we can finally be inseparable and take down anyone who would try to turn us against each other!"

"Sure," Chloe replied, breaking free from the girls grip and walking away.

"Chloe, where are you going!?" Emily called, following after her. "Do you want me to come with you!? We could do something together!? Chloe, hey Chloe, where are we going!? Chloe, what are we going to do as best friends now!?"

Meanwhile, Zach approached Bailey and Rory who had grouped underneath a tree, still somewhat shaken from the previous encounter with Terra.

"Well gentlemen," Zach greeted, "if there's one good thing to come of last night's debacle, it's that we know we're tight now. Things may have taken a turn for the worst, but now we have a common goal."

"And it's like Gentle Spring says, when you work with some true friends, you can accomplish anything!" Bailey added.

"Yay," Rory said without much enthusiasm. "Except you know, we're in the minority now, and it's looking pretty hopeless, and I'll probably be voted out next and there's absolutely nothing I can do cause I can't win a challenge for the life of me…"

"Buddy, buddy, just breathe, all of that...it's just some obstacles to put our friendship to the test," Bailey assured. "But trust me, where there's a will, there's a way. And there is no purer will than that of a Knight of Princess Kokomo."

"Uh right," Zach remarked. "Look, the situation isn't as bad as you might think. Let's not forget that a lot of the people we're dealing with are...well deranged, unstable, a little bit of both. We just need to keep cool and we'll figure something out."

"Do you think we should get out there and start looking for people to pull back over?" Bailey suggested. "Surely we've still got some friends who will do the right thing with a nudge back on the path."

"Nah, nah, not a good idea," Zach cautioned. "If it looks like we're scrambling, that'll just put people on the defensive. Wait for them to come to us, and trust me, it'll happen, this is one spark away from an all out forest fire."

"Well when you put it like that...I'm terrified. Forest fires are destructive and unstoppable, ooh we're all going to die!" Rory sobbed.

"I continue to live in awe of how you're even still here," Zach sighed with a shake of his head.

"It truly is a miracle of friendship!" Baile cheered.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Emily-** The tide's changed last night, and I need to make sure that I'm on the right side of history again. Being in the minority is just sooo not a good look at all, so I just need to shift the blame to someone else, and get focus off of me, and it'll all be super fine again! Yay, go me!

 **Chloe-** It's taking everything in my power to not grab Emily and shake the daylights out of her. Is she for real? Is she really buying what she's selling? She was so quick to push me aside and never offer a single favor, but now that things aren't going so well for her plan, she suddenly wants to be besties? Give me a break.

 **Bailey-** Sure, things didn't go perfectly for us last round, but the Kingdom of Kokomo wasn't built in a day, you know. Oh no, it took several days, almost a dozen, and they weren't easy days either. There were rainstorms and rodent infestations and uh...maybe an earthquake thrown in. But they overcame to make one of the most harmonious kingdoms in all the lands, and all the same, we'll overcome this too! Just means we'll have to work a little harder!

 **Zach-** Don't get me wrong, I definitely intend to make the most of this and use this common ground to keep Bailey and Rory loyal to me at all costs...buuuut, if things don't turn out the way we want, I also don't want them getting the leg up on winning people over. Let them feel like it's best to leave it to me, and if that duo needs to be broken up...eh better them than me.

* * *

"Chloe, where did you go!?" Emily continued to call as she sifted her way through heavy shrubs. "I can't keep up with you, wait for me!"

Emily stumbled her way through, but saw no sign of the girl she was pursuing.

"You know what, Chloe, it's fine!" Emily called. "Our hearts beat in sync, I know I'll find my way back to you soon enough!"

Emily heard the sound of movement nearby and quickly turned to follow.

"Aha, I knew I'd find you!" Emily exclaimed as she made her way through another thicket of shrubs.

Instead she found Rory cowering underneath a tree.

"Aaaah! Don't kill me!" Rory sobbed.

"Oh Rory…..exactly who I was looking for!" Emily exclaimed, placing her arms around him.

"You were? It sounded like you were searching for Chloe," Rory pointed out.

"Well, you're not very intelligent so I can understand how you might make that mistake," Emily chimed. "But I'm so so glad that we've got this chance to talk now!"

"Oh well uh...me too," Rory replied. "It's been a little distressing lately, but at least we still-"

Out of the corner of her eye, Emily noticed Terra walking nearby and quickly cut off Rory, "so glad that we can talk so that I can tell you to your face that I am so over you! Done with you! Washing my hands of having any affiliation with you!"

"Ummm...huh?" Rory reacted in shock.

Emily continued to glance over towards Terra and make sure that she was speaking loud enough to be heard as she continued, "You are so weak and and ….spineless! You coward! You're so I don't even have the I can't even you're so just stop just stop already you pathetic spineless there are children starving WARS there are wars being waged on the environment right this very second in Libya but you're being so selfish and weak and you don't even care but I care and I am through letting you drag me down with you! Get woke!"

Emily then pushed Rory away and casually walked over to Terra.

"Oh hey, Terra, I didn't see you there!" Emily lied. "I was just busy destroying that piece of trash, what a joke, eh? What a loser! What a-"

Terra continued walking without making eye contact with Emily.

"Wait, Terra, I'm actually talking to you!" Emily insisted as she chased after the girl. "Slow down so I can tell you all about the ways I destroyed that useless piece of trash!"

Terra increased her pace.

From up in the trees, Chloe breathed a sigh of relief at Emily moving on. Marky and Seth hung in a branch above her, while Mimi had found a cavity to rest upon in a tree across from them.

"Well, at least she's found someone new to torment," Chloe remarked.

"I definitely don't have any problems about those two maniacs keeping each other busy," Marky added. "Assuming they don't destroy each other by the end of the morning."

"A likely possibility," Seth noted. "With true unbridled rage, comes no restrain. Endless possibilities...for destruction, with a second to stop for mercy."

"What do you guys make of Terra?" Chloe asked. "Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful she decided to flip on Sybil...but I don't exactly feel like she's with us. She's with herself and will do her own thing."

"That about sums it up," Marky replied. "I have no idea how to approach her, she's just a wad of dynamite that could be set off by anything, and blow up anyone around her."

"Guys, guys, let's not worry so much," Mimi urged. "Right now things are good, we're good, we're set. Overthinking and overplaying are going to be our own demise."

"I'm just saying let's be careful," Chloe said. "We got this upper hand thanks to someone who's very unpredictable and unreliable. Let's not get comfortable."

"Sometimes being too careful is the most careless thing you can do," Mimi added.

"Very wise," Seth said with a nod.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Emily-** Last round, Terra pretty much flipped things around and put herself into a position of power. So if she's not with me...then I have to get with HER! And what better way to do that than bonding over a common enemy? I know right, genius, I amaze myself sometimes, but that's just how I am, a chameleon ready to change my stripes at a moments notice!

 **Terra-** Emily isn't just fake, she's F-A-K-E! F is for get the F out of my face! A is for a kick in the A which she needs. K is for the text I will send her when she says she's changed her ways. And E is for the drug she must be on if she thinks I'm going to let her get away with it any longer!

 **Chloe-** Sue me for looking to the reality of the situation. As glad I am that Terra had a meltdown and decided to give us the opening we needed, she's still a major wildcard and she doesn't have any guaranteed loyalty to me. I can't let my guard down even for a minute, this race is far from over!

 **Mimi-** Sometimes a good thing is just a good thing, and if you look for all the ways that it could go wrong, you'll just end up making it happen. I'm not interested in overplaying and pushing Terra away, right now there are still four people in this game that would have gladly cut me loose, but guess what? The people who try to mess with me haven't done so well in this game, I say we keep that up.

* * *

(Later)

Chef stood on the beach, blaring an airhorn into the sky repeatedly. Eventually the group of ten made their way onto the sand with looks of confusion.

"Get in here, you punks!" Chef barked.

"That's a bit of a blunt method to get our attention," Marky pointed out. "Usually we have a series of breadcrumbs to guide us to the challenge."

"Well excuse me!" Chef scoffed. "Chris didn't leave no plan for me, and I ain't bout that heebie jeebie creepy crap."

"Where exactly is Chris, then?" Mimi asked with an uncertain glance.

"Is he dead!?" Rory panicked.

"He's getting there," Chef remarked. "So you're stuck with me for now and you're gonna like it! Now are we gonna do this challenge or what!?"

"Well...that's kinda on you to get it going," Chloe pointed out.

"Alright, listen up!" Chef continued. "The studio sent a cargo ship to take back some of the old props we don't need or ain't gonna bother using. Your challenge is to get on that ship and take back a prop as a souvenir. Do this and you get to be immune, whoop de doo."

"This challenge seems to lack a certain spook factor," Marky noted.

"I was about to say the same thing," Zach added. "Where's the creativity, Chef? Where's the inspiration?"

"Hey, this ain't my job, I'm doing the best I can!" Chef snapped. "Uuuuuh and maybe there's some, I dunno, Ghost Skeleton Pirates to watch out for."

"Ghost Skeleton Pirates!?" Rory shrieked. "That's it, I'm out, good luck everyone else, I won't be competing."

"Hey, hey," Bailey said, stopping the boy from leaving, "you know what I'm going to say?"

Rory sighed, "Ghost Skeleton Pirates fall under the list of threats that I'm sworn to combat as a knight of Princess Kokomo?"

"You're learning so fast!" Bailey exclaimed with a pat on his friend's back.

"Now get a move on, the ship's not gonna wait for you!" Chef ordered.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Bailey-** Now is not the time to let fear get the better of us. Rory and I are definitely in a tight spot in this game, so it's time to muster all our courage, cause a win could be just what we need to boost up our spirits!

 **Zach-** If things really do go worst case scenario for me tonight, then I would love to have immunity to at least buy me some time. I'm a man on a mission now, so the others better watch out!

* * *

The group rushed along the beach, in search of this boat, though with none in sight along their current line of vision.

"Where the heck is this thing!?" Mimi exclaimed in frustration, while keeping up pace with the others sprinting through the sand.

"I don't know, why don't I just pull out my binoculars," Marky remarked dryly.

"That's very thoughtful of you to have come prepared with binoculars," Grace replied.

"No, that was sarcasm," Marky explained.

"It was not," Grace retorted. "Sarcasm is dependant on the mutual understanding that the opposite is meant from what is said. Seeing as mutual understanding has not been reached, it fails to qualify as sarcasm. Not to worry though, it is a difficult manner of communication to master, and I am sure if you continue to practice, you will be more effective with time."

"Uh...thanks?" Marky sighed.

Trailing behind, Rory was struggling to even keep up a running pace. The boy stepped on a patch of wet seaweed and suddenly stumbled forward head first into the sand.

"Keep up the good work, you're doing great!" Emily exclaimed as she left the boy behind without pause.

Chloe, Zach, and Terra reached a rocky section of land and began to climb over the small pinnacles ahead of them. The group had to alternate between stepping along the jagged ridges and climbing over the larger surfaces. Terra pulled herself up, while Chloe slipped and ended up colliding with Zach beneath her.

"Come on, Rojo!" Bailey exclaimed, sweating as he struggled to keep up the pace and approach, "We're doing this, just a little further I'm sure!"

Chloe and Zach struggled with each other as they raced to get back up. As the group reached the edge of the loose path they'd been following and came to a peak looking over the water, they realized that their target was already in motion. The large cargo ship was gradually moving away from the island and traveling towards the expanse of water.

"Well now what are we supposed to do!?" Chloe exclaimed in exasperation.

"Geronimo!" Terra cried out as she leapt over the edge.

"Are you insane!?" Chloe gasped.

"For Princess Kokomo!" Bailey exclaimed, following Terra's example.

"Make room!" Emily called out as she clambered from behind, immediately wasting no time diving after Bailey.

"Well, be my guest," Zach offered to Chloe.

"Yeah right, that's not ending well," Chloe remarked.

Terra in fact actually did manage to land on the deck of the departing ship. Bailey and Emily were not so lucky, splashing straight into the water.

"There has to be another way," Chloe said.

"Is there now?" Zach asked. "It's not like you to back away from diving head on to a challenge."

"Please, I'm not wasting time flapping around in the water, not if I can find a smarter way," Chloe said. "Chef said that it was picking up old props, well it had to have docked somewhere for that. I say we find that."

Marky and Grace came up to the peak behind the others and looked down at the ship, also seeing Bailey and Emily floating in the water behind it.

"Well this looks like fun," Marky remarked.

"Perhaps in a more time courteous occasion I shall list to you a series of events that I would describe as more fun than what I'm observing," Grace replied. "At the current moment, no less than 214 come to mind."

"Well no time like the present," Marky said, diving into the water as well.

Grace followed in suit.

"Fools," Chloe remarked with a shake of her head as she began to slide down on the opposite side.

"You know, you're the one who's going to look most foolish if this is just a waste of time," Zach pointed out, following behind her.

"And what about you?" Chloe asked.

Zach just replied with a shrug as he remarked, "I've observed enough to know that if you're not racing head on towards a challenge, it's probably best that I don't either."

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Chloe-** Work smart, not hard, and you'll always get the leg up. Sometimes you have to stop and think if the most obvious route is really the best one. For me, I think there's an easier way for me to win this challenge and get ahead of the rest.

 **Terra-** I wasn't scared. There isn't much room for fear when you're diving out a plane to infiltrate a walled city suspected of holding undisclosed prisoners of war. It wasn't. But I never would have known for sure if I'd been too afraid to check.

 **Bailey-** Well, I'm exhausted already, but I have to remind myself, it's not just me out here. I gotta set an example for Rojo too if I want him to grow up to be an independent dog who can take care of himself!

* * *

Emily spluttered to the surface as crashing into the dark lake.

"Yuck, ick!" she exclaimed, while waving her arms from side to side to stay afloat. "Totally rude, totally not cool!"

Bailey broke to the surface next, holding Gentle Spring above his head.

"Gentle Spring, forgive me for putting you through that!" the boy exclaimed. "We all have to put up with a lot out here, I appreciate your patience!"

"Well that was totally not what I wanted to see happen," Emily said. "We were supposed to land on the boat."

"We can still make it!" Bailey said. "We just are going to have to swim for it."

The two pushed themselves through the cold water to try to catch up with the large craft ahead of them.

"What was that!?" Emily suddenly shrieked.

"What was what!?" Bailey replied, quickly turning his head in all directions.

"There's something in the water! Something big!" Emily squealed. "I saw it!"

"Well, not to worry, anything big and scary is no match for Rojo!" Bailey promised, holding up his electronic device to reveal a blank screen, "Oh come on, Rojo, that's not fair. The rest of us out here don't have the option to hide in cyberspace."

Emily increased her speed, taking broad strokes to try to get to the metal haul. The girl was able to cling to the rusty surface and pull herself out of the water. Bailey followed behind her, though not without sending frequent glances behind them.

Further back, Grace and Marky were also trying to make their way through the lake to catch up with the boat. They still had a fair distance to go though.

"Come on, we can still catch up!" Marky insisted, as he fought against the waves brushing him from either side.

"Yes, we have the opportunity to risk drowning to continue in a race against other more physically capable rivals who have a lead," Grace replied. "I am quite excited."

"Well when you put it like that, it sort of kills the mood," Marky sighed.

"My apologies, allow me to attempt again," Grace said, before echoing this time to a musical rhythm, "We have the opportunity to risk drowning, oh whoa whoa how, to continue in a race against other more physically capable rivals, oh yeah yeah yeah. They've already got the lead!"

"We'll...work on your cheerleader abilities," Marky remarked.

"Question...what is that?" Grace asked, pointing to a large shadow that seemed to be approaching from underneath the water.

"Uh, I don't know," Marky admitted. "It looks kinda like-"

Before he could finish, Grace was suddenly pulled beneath the water, without so much as a whimper.

"What the...Grace?" Marky gasped. "Grace!? Graaace!?"

The boy dived down into the water after his friend. The underwater was incredibly dark, and Marky didn't have to sink far before it seemed like all that was left were a few scattered flecks of light occasionally bouncing off of the shadows surrounding him. The boy frantically turned his head from side to side, searching for Grace. With everything just appearing as a marred collage of shadows though, he found it hard to know what he was even looking at. As his breath began to evaporate though, he spotted strands of Grace's hair billowing through the water. The boy quickly darted towards her. Though he couldn't make out much, he could tell that something seemed to be wrapped around the girl. Tendrils gripped her and pulled her deeper against her well. Marky gave an angry glare in lieu of a battle cry. Marky clutched Grace by the arm and tugged her in the opposite direction. He felt some resistance, but as he continued to tug, the grip loosened and he was able to pull his friend free. As Marky broke to the surface again, he inhaled deeply. He held Grace's head above water so that she could breathe as well, though her eyes remained closed. Marky bit his lower lip in fear; refusing to let go of his friend, he began to trail back to the shore as fast as he could.

"Grace! Please tell me you can hear me!" Marky exclaimed as he laid the girl down on the sand. "I really don't have a lot of experience saving lives, and trust me, you don't want me trying to figure it out on you now."

Grace spluttered and coughed up a splurt of water.

"Oh that's a relief," Marky sighed.

"I...I…" Grace said between coughs. "I don't think we'll be winning this challenge after all."

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Bailey-** Yeah, Gentle Spring really doesn't love getting wet. It's one of the quickest ways to ruin her mood. I hate having to put her through that, but the next time she needs a huge favor from me, I'll make sure to pay it back!

 **Marky-** Not going to lie, discovering some monstrous mysterious creature deep in the waters is definitely keeping my evil side intrigued. Could it be controlled? Used for purposes of mass destruction? But...that's a little above my level, I'll have to just make a note and pass it along.

 **Grace-** I did not die, but also we likely will not have much of a chance at immunity now. At times like these, I prefer to compare the positives and negatives before deciding how I will feel about it. After some consideration, I believe I will be content with not dying.

* * *

Terra marched along the vast deck, in search of her prize.

"Well, where is everyone!?" she barked out into the silence. "Any staff? Skeleton pirates!? Hello here I am! Give me a sign!"

Terra heard the sound of someone climbing up over the edge.

"Aha! Can't get the drop on me!" Terra snapped, jumping over to the side of the ship.

Terra gripped Emily by the wrists as the other girl tried to pull herself aboard.

"Oh it's just you. Lame," Terra sighed, tossing Emily back down.

Bailey was able to extend his arm and catch Emily before she plummeted back into the water.

"Now now there's no need for that," Bailey insisted.

"On the contrary, violence has been consistently one of the most effective ways to solve any problem for me," Terra replied. "I don't see why this should be any different."

"Sooo true, Terra, that is so wise, you are so winning because you just take charge and don't let anyone hold you back!" Emily exclaimed. "I wish I could be more like you, I wish I could BE you!"

"And that's my cue to exit," Terra scoffed, making her way further down the deck.

"Wait!" Emily called, chasing after the girl once she had gotten back on her feet. "Don't you want to team up! Real girl power thing here!"

"I'm here too," Bailey pointed out.

"Nobody asked for you," Emily cut off.

The three were silenced as they heard an ominous clunk.

"What was that!?" Emily gasped, gripping Bailey by the arm now.

"Alright, sounds like we've got some company, and if history has taught us anything so far, it's not likely the friendly kind," Terra said. "Leave it to me, stay alert, we'll get the drop on them yet."

Suddenly the passage beneath Terra's feet opened, causing her to drop into darkness in an instant. The panels closed up again, leaving the deck seamless to the naked eye.

"Ah! We're going to die!" Emily sobbed.

"We're not going to die," Bailey assured, though even his voice gave away his uncertainty.

The noises continue to haunt the two. Creaking from metallic cranes that rocked in the wind, ropes flailing lifeless and brushing against one another. Emily took a cautious step forward, though stopped as she felt something tugging at her back.

"They got me! It's over for me! I can feel the icy cold skeletal grip creeping down my neck," Emily cried.

'Uh Emily," Bailey tried to say.

"No, don't cry for me, it's better if I face death as I faced life...with silent dignity," Emily said dramatically.

"Emily...it's just a loose hook," Bailey said, as he pulled free the small metallic hook that had gotten stuck in her dress while hanging from above.

"Oh no, oh no! Clearly we're being hunted by some disgruntled hook man!" Emily gasped. "Oh this is just like that movie!"

"I know what you did last summer?" Bailey suggested.

"You do!?" Emily exclaimed, suddenly gripping Bailey on either side of his body. "WHO TOLD YOU!?"

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Terra-** You think the brig can hold me!? I've escaped holding cells from CIA prisons that if I even mention by name I'd be putting you and everyone you love in mortal danger. This is nothing!

 **Bailey-** Well uh, I suppose as a knight of Kokomo it is my sworn duty to try to keep Emily safe. Though knights are also allowed to complain when the person they're supposed to protect makes it very difficult to tolerate them. Just saying.

* * *

Chloe had climbed down from the rocky section of the beach and entered another grassy area as they began to return towards the woods.

"Well, are you sure this is the best way to go about it?" Zach asked as he trailed behind.

"Hey, if you don't like it, you're free to find your own method," Chloe pointed out.

"No, no, getting to share in your company is more than enough of a reason to enjoy this lovely time together," Zach replied.

Chloe just gave him an unamused expression before stating, "A boat that size doesn't just come and go. There has to be a bay round here with a dock. And if we find that, we might have a shot at finding some smaller boats. Chris and Chef have got to have some sort of escape plan, for themselves at the very least."

"Fair, fair, very logical of you," Zach noted.

"What is your angle?" Chloe scoffed.

"Angle? Can't I just appreciate a good friend of mine being a driven, logical thinker?" Zach exclaimed.

"We're not exactly friends," Chloe pointed out.

"Oh, there's no need to let the game get between the two of us," Zach replied.

Chloe seemed unconvinced.

"Fine, we're...tumultuous acquaintances," Zach conceded. "And since you're asking, I have a suspicion you already know what my angle is. I want to survive, and I'm just waiting for you to realize that I'm here, waiting to offer my assistance."

"You're not going to hit me with some drawn out pitch?" Chloe asked.

"I don't have to," Zach said. "Like I said, you're a logical pragmatist, you'll figure it out on your own. Until then...friends?"

Zach gave Chloe a sheepish grin.

"Aha!" Mimi suddenly exclaimed, pushing between the two.

"Mimi?" Chloe exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh she just has a sense for sticking her nose in everywhere and ruining the moment," Zach remarked. "Truly, can't get enough of putting yourself in the center of drama can you?"

"Shush!" Mimi hushed Zach. "Is this guy bothering you?"

"Yes, but that's nothing unusual," Chloe pointed out.

"Well I just spotted the two of you, and thought to myself, I can't leave one of my girlfriends out here with that creep," Mimi exclaimed.

"Possessive much?" Zach remarked. "I'll have you know that Chloe is her own woman who doesn't need you coming to the rescue every time someone like me so much as speak to her."

"You two can carry on your feud...without me," Chloe said. "I've got a challenge to win."

Farther behind the group, Rory was nervously pacing.

"Oh this is bad," he said to himself. "I've got no shot, I should just quit now. No pirates for me, no chance of drowning."

"The seed that hides from the sun shall never sprout," Seth pointed out to Rory.

"Ah! How long have you been standing there?" Rory exclaimed.

"In a way, I've been standing where I am all my life as the world spins around me, time bringing me closer to those that need me the most," Seth stated.

"Uh...that's me?" Rory asked.

"One does not question time...you'll lose too much of it if you try to put it in a cage of your understanding," Seth replied. "Instead, just follow it to the destiny that awaits."

"Honestly, you're really confusing me here," Rory sighed.

Seth directed Rory's face towards the water.

"Your victory awaits among a sea of the unknown," Seth stated. "The world won't become any clearer until you face it."

"What if I don't want to!?" Rory sobbed.

"Does a tree, want to grow to the heavens?" Seth countered.

"I uh...guess," Rory said while scratching.

"Then there you have your answer," Seth replied.

"I really don't," Rory sighed. "But if it means that much to you, I guess we could follow after the others."

"Or because it means as much...to you," Seth said.

"Okay, I'm going already, enough with the cryptic comments!" Rory sobbed.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Zach-** There's definitely a time to go with the hard direct strategic attack, but then there are times to just let people do what they do best. Chloe will be my key here, she's proven that she can't sit still for long. In her own time, she'll crave to flip the tables again, and I just need to make myself available to help when the time comes.

 **Mimi-** I don't think it's paranoid of me to want to keep an eye on Zach and Chloe. Clearly they don't get along, but the fact is I know how Zach works, and he'll take any inch he can get. Chloe may not realize it, but she's going to need some backup to make sure he doesn't try to pull a fast one here.

 **Seth-** In truth, I don't have all the answers. I just wanted Rory to get a move on. Nature is not kind to those that wallow in shame rather than strive for survival.

* * *

Chloe, Mimi, and Zach had discovered the destination they had been hoping for. Just ahead of them, downhill, was a bay with a large, yet rusted metal dock. At one end closest to the land was a shroud of a building, looking as though it might crumble inwards at a second's notice.

"I knew it!" Chloe exclaimed.

"Let's not celebrate yet," Zach said. "We found an old dock. No sign of boats yet, this could still be a waste of time."

The group descended down the slope and arrived at the front of the small building.

'Trust me, this is the perfect place to moor a small motor boat," Chloe assured.

'Hold up, hold up!" Mimi exclaimed, stepping in front of the door and blocking the way. "Now, we know that our hosts have never been one for subtlety, and trust me, this has all the telltale signs of a disaster trap waiting to happen. We all step in and then suddenly, slam! The door's shut and we're trapped in with demonic entity!"

"So what do you suggest then? We just wait around and not do anything? That sounds like the true waste of time," Chloe remarked.

"Maybe we just need a guinea pig to test for danger," Zach suggested mischievously while glancing at the approaching Rory and Seth.

"Yes, keep up the pace, let the wind guide you with renewed speed!" Seth encouraged Rory.

"Dude, no offense but...we don't exactly know each other," Rory pointed out. "Why do you care so much?"

"Do any of us truly know each other? Or just the painted face that we twist so hard to hide our deep beings?" Seth replied. "We are all connected, by the water we drink, the air we breathe, and that is enough for me to want to see my fellow being throw free the shackles that keep him back."

Rory cautiously stepped up to join the waiting group.

"Uh hey guys...what's going on?" Rory asked.

"Rory, glad you're here!" Chloe exclaimed. "I've been stuck babysitting these two who won't stop bickering. I haven't been able to even check in this place here without fear that one will ditch the other. But now that you're here, you can poke your head in there and tell me if you see a boat, and I'll make sure these two play nice."

"Oh er...me...does...does it have to be me?" Rory stammered.

"Now is your time, young acorn," Seth said with a hand on Rory's shoulder. "Blossom into the most majestic tree the world has ever seen."

Rory clenched his face in fear before taking a step forward.

"Okay...I'll do it," Rory said, very slowly making his way towards the door, loosely hanging from its hinges.

"Any day now," Chloe urged.

"Okay, I'm going, I'm going," Rory stammered, carefully tiptoeing into the dark sheltered area.

The boy tentatively glanced around the shadowy room. He took a few more steps inside to get a clearer look at the clutter. The floor led down to an opening, leading out to the lake. At that end, a sleek white motor boat was tied to a post.

"Uh...yeah, there's a boat in here," Rory called out.

Chloe, Mimi, and Zach glanced at each other.

"Well no screams of terror," Mimi said.

"I say we go ahead," Chloe decided.

Chloe entered the shelter after Rory, Zach followed behind her. As Mimi tried to get in after, Zach suddenly slammed the door shut behind him.

"Oops," he cackled, kicking a stack of crates over to block the entrance. "Looks like you were right, Mimi, the wind slammed the door shut, now we're stuck in here with a demonic entity. Oooh!"

"Wait...demonic entity!?" Rory gasped in fear.

"You little punk!" Mimi snapped as she pounded on the door. "What is the matter with you, let me in right now!?"

"Sorry, I'm feeling better without you hanging around to sabotage me," Zach replied.

"Urrrgh! I hate that guy!" Mimi pouted to Seth. "I really hate him!"

"The fury of all storms eventually come to a rest and nature shall continue all the same," Seth replied.

Inside the now dark, locked building Chloe glared at Zach.

"What the hell was that all about?" she snapped.

"Hey, it's still a race, I'm just thinning out the herd a bit," Zach said with a shrug. "Can't blame me for keeping the odds in our favor."

"Um could we PLEASE go back to the demonic entity! That sounds kind of dire!" Rory exclaimed in terror.

"Don't worry, I was just messing around," Zach assured. "There's nothing in here but us."

The three then heard the sound of movement, coming from deeper in the shadows, where they couldn't make out anything other than darkness.

"Maybe it was the wind?" Chloe said unconvingly.

"Maybe a bird or rat got in here," Zach suggested.

"Or maybe it's the skeleton ghost pirates!" Rory whispered urgently.

"There are no skeleton ghost pirates," Zach insisted. "Come on, that reeked of Chef making junk up on the spot."

"Do you really want to take that risk!?" Rory shot back.

Something seemed to be moving towards them from the shadows. As the silhouettes shifted the trio heard the joint sounds of scattered footsteps and a low metallic whir, as if something were being dragged along the floor.

"We're dead! There's nowhere to run now!" Rory cried.

"Correction, are you forgetting what we came in here for?" Zach said as he hopped into the boat. "Ready to take off!"

Zach reached down for the controls, only to realize the boat required a key to start.

"Uh...we may be missing some keys though," Zach added nervously.

"Ugh you idiot!" Chloe groaned. "I can't see anything, and they could be anywhere in this mess."

The noise grew louder as a menacing shadow spread over the three of them.

"Hide!" Rory urged.

Zach crouched down into the boat, Rory ducked under a cluttered shelf, Chloe climbered into a half filled barrel. Rory found his body shaking uncontrollably, though he tried to keep as quiet as possible. Without even looking he could sense something looming in the center of the room. He very gradually opened his eyes and could make up what appeared to be broad boney claws, and a rusty cutlass dragging behind them. Rory had to stick his fist inside his mouth to keep himself from screaming instinctively. The inhuman feet slowly paced along the floor. Rory silently prayed for the hidden tormentor to move on. It paused just before him though, the blade dangling idly. Rory bit down on his hand, still unable to stop shaking. The being didn't move on. Rory could hear a bloodchilling creak as something seemed to close in on him. He was just able to make out a pointed boney hand stretching out underneath the shelf, just in front of where he had huddled.

"HIYA!" Chloe suddenly exclaimed, leaping from her hiding spot and shoving the shelving unit from behind.

With a loud crash, several objects came plummeting down, followed by the entire structure to collide with the massive skeletal being.

"Run, run, run!" Chloe shouted at the cowering Rory.

Within the clatter, Rory felt something bounce off of his head. He reached out to find a set of sleek keys attached to a string.

"Keys!" he blurted out in his stunned state.

More boxes and objects clattered aside as the broad cutlass swung through the shadows. Rory tossed the keys to Chloe who threw them to Zach. Rory and Chloe both jumped into the boat after him, refusing to look back though knowing that something was coming behind them.

"GO!" Chloe screamed at Zach as the boy fumbled with the keys.

Chloe grabbed him by the hand and turned the keys for him. The motor roared to life. Rory felt something icy scrape against the back of his neck, just before the boat took off and zoomed down the water, out of the shed, and onward to the lake.

"We made it!" Zach exclaimed. "But for the record, I am NEVER following you into a death trap again."

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Zach-** Hey, I make no apologies for doing what I got to do to take my best shot here. Mimi made it pretty clear she would love to tag along and find some way to keep me from winning, so I cut her loose. If anything she should be thanking me for keeping her safe from...whatever the hell was in there!

 **Mimi-** You know, I really should have seen this sort of thing coming, but that doesn't make me any less angry about it!

 **Rory-** Okay, so it's all well and good if Bailey or Seth want to get me to face my fears...but how come they're not the ones who end up facing certain death!? Huh, universe? What's that all about!?

* * *

After tumbling down a chute, Terra found herself landing in a small square cell. The walls were a patchwork of steel sheets and bolts while her only view outwards was a small barred grate. The girl took up and nodded her head while examining her containment.

"Hm, pathetic, laughable really," she noted after inspection. "You really think this can hold me? Well it's like I told the police at the book burning event in Edmonton, 'You can try to lock me up, but there's no prison strong enough that can detain justice!'"

Terra began to kick at every seam she could find in the walls, though to no avail. Finding that wasn't working, Terra began trying to pry off one of the loose bolts. After much grunting and struggle, she was able to bend the worn steel. However, this just ended up causing a leak to spring, leading to water spluttering in through the new opening.

"Hm...well that's not very good," Terra remarked with a raised eyebrow.

Up above, Emily and Bailey were continuing to make their way along the deck cautiously. Emily clung behind Bailey, matching each of his steps.

"You'll keep me safe, right!? A big strong man like you will protect little old defenseless me?" Emily asked.

"I uh...well I'll try my best," Bailey replied.

"Thanks so much, bestie!" Emily squealed. "I'm so lucky to have a best friend like you!"

"Are we uh...still friends though?" Bailey asked while rubbing his head.

"Of course, why would you ask something so pointlessly unnecessary when you already know it's true!?" Emily exclaimed.

"Well it's just...uh we'll lately you've been kind of...well uh…" Bailey said awkwardly while trying to gesture with his hands to fill the absence of words. "Maybe you could just be a little nicer to Rory then? I think you might be sending mixed signals."

"I am sooo nice to Rory!" Emily argued. "We are the best of friends, the absolute best! Nothing could ever tear us apart!"

"Oh….really?" Bailey asked. "Cause uh, it kind of sounded like you were calling him a lot of mean things this morning. I think you really hurt his feelings."

"Look, look, look, Rory and I have a very complex, very meaningful, type of relationship, and that's just the kind of thing we do when we're bonding," Emily insisted. "So why don't you just shut up about something you clearly know nothing about and accept me as your best friend!?"

Bailey reacted with uncertain silence, his eyes darting away.

"So uh...you think something is in there?" Bailey finally broke the silence, pointing to a hatch in the deck that opened to a flight of stairs.

"Oooh looks dark and scary...maybe...you go first!" Emily urged.

"Uh...Rojo, you ready to come out yet?" Bailey asked his electronic device.

The pixelated dog carefully creeped out from off the screen.

"That's a good boy," Bailey praised. "We've got a job to do!"

Bailey tentatively stepped down the stairs into the dark cabin below.

"You see any trouble, Rojo?" he asked his digital pet.

After reaching the bottom of the stairs, Bailey found that the cabin turned into a dimly let corridor, with several steel doors along the walls.

"So far, so good!" Bailey called up.

Emily descended the steps after him.

"So...what exactly should we be looking for?" Emily asked.

"I think we'll know it if we see it," Bailey replied. "A storage of props doesn't seem like something that's easy to miss."

Bailey tried opening one of the doors but found it locked and refusing to budge. As he backed up though, he heard the sound of some movement from the other side.

"Eek! What do you think that was?" Emily asked nervously.

"Well uh...someone's got to be running this ship right? Maybe it was just the crew," Bailey proposed.

"That's probably the best we can hope for, but somehow I don't think it's the most likely," Emily replied with a shiver.

The two continued further deeper into the heart of the ship. They continued to hear the sound of rattled movement, as if something was following them from within the walls. Eventually the two reached the end of the passage though and were met with two wide doors ahead of them. Bailey gave a slow push on one of the double doors and found that it slid open. The two peered inside and were met with a vast pile of familiar objects strewn together. The expansive room included torches, painted skulls, animal claws, nets, costumes, plastic spiders and bats, along with other larger contraptions that had been dismantled!

"Eeee, we made it!" Emily cheered while dancing happily.

With a sudden lurch, a fishing spear shot through the wall behind Emily and just narrowly missed her head.

"Wow! Super cool! That would have killed me if I had been standing a little to the left. Cool, cool, cool," Emily exclaimed.

"Things are getting dangerous very fast, let's grab something and get the heck outta here!" Bailey said, while picking up one of the clay skulls.

Emily decided to pick up one of the torches.

"Now I've got something to defend myself with!" she declared proudly.

"I get the feeling that's not going to do much good," Bailey remarked.

The two returned back the way they had come, as the lights suddenly turned red.

"Yeeeeah, that's definitely not a good sign," Bailey said.

The two halted their spree just in time to avoid a cannonball that was blasted out of one of the locked rooms. They had to keep moving, though, to avoid a row of spikes that descended from above. Emily swerved from side to side as darts shot around her. Bailey leapt forward to avoid the floor collapsing beneath his feet. Emily grabbed him by the hair and yanked to get him to bend backwards and narrowly duck between a jagged hook that was launched through the wall.

The two were able to sprint up the stairs, now sweating and panting, but still clutching their prizes.

"We did it!" Emily breathed between gasps for air.

"Never doubted us...for a...second," Bailey coughed.

"AHA!" suddenly someone exclaimed, as a net swung over the two, trapping them underneath it.

Terra emerged victoriously, as the clay skull bounced from Bailey's grip towards her feet.

"And that is why you never let your guard down, even when you think it's safe, solving problems always just opens the door for new problems to arise!" Terra exclaimed.

"Wow, you're so right, Terra, you really got us good!" Emily congratulated.

"I sure did!" Terra said. "And now to make my dramatic exit and win this thing!"

Terra turned back to the edge of the ship, only to see Zach and Chloe climbing aboard to face her. Rory had tried to jump from the motorboat as well, but just awkwardly stumbled into the water and flailed around helplessly.

"Alright, hand over the skull and no one gets hurt," Chloe told Terra.

"Oh I beg to differ, if you think you're getting this from me, you'll be leaving plenty hurt," Terra retorted.

Chloe charged at Terra, Terra retorted with a firm kick. Chloe stepped aside to dodge the attack. Terra grabbed a loose chain and whipped it at the other girl. Chloe karate kicked up a plank of wood and knocked it towards Terra. The board made contact, knocking the girl back and causing her to lose grip of the skull. Zach wasted no time grasping the object as it rolled away.

"Well, now that I got what I came for, I suppose I'll be heading out," Zach announced, leaping back over the edge and climbing back into the motorboat where a drenched Rory was sitting and shivering.

"Oh no you don't!" Chloe growled, swiping the chain from Terra and tossing it after the boy.

The chain got hooked on the end of the motorboat, just as Zach took off again. This caused Chloe to be dragged behind along the water as she refused to let go of the chain.

"Um maybe I could uh...hold onto this?" Rory offered as he tried to grab the skull from Zach.

"Don't even think about it," Zach said, placing his palm in Rory's face.

Rory tried to wiggle his way close enough to get his hands on the skull, but Zach managed to hold him back. Chloe meanwhile flopped up and down and from side to side as she was dragged along, but remained determined to keep her grip.

"Just about there," Zach said as they neared the island shore.

He could see Chef waiting at the beach and smirked victoriously.

"Hey uh...Zach?" Rory stammered nervously.

"Forget it, you're not snatching my win," Zach retorted.

"Yeah, okay, but uh...what's that?" Rory said as he pointed to a moving shadow beneath them.

Suddenly, a giant tentacle sprung from the lake, casting a large wave to overtake the boat and send all three sprawling through the air. The skull was tossed as well, landing in the water and disappearing from sight.

"Aaaah! When will the horrors end!?" Rory sobbed as he splashed in the water.

Chloe began to swim through the water to the point where she last saw the skull sinking beneath the surface.

"Yeah uh...good luck with that," Zach said dismissively as he chose to return to the beach.

Rory trailed behind him and the two boys walked up onto the sand to face Chef.

"Well!?" the large man barked.

"Nothing!" Rory sighed. "I risked my life several times and still got nothing to show for it."

"Yeah sucks to be you," Zach remarked. "But I happened to grab this!"

Zach reached into his pocket and revealed a small piece of wood that seemed to have been broken off at one end.

"And what exactly am I looking at?" Chef demanded.

"Just a piece of a torch," Zach answers. "I broke off a piece from Emily's while the crazy chicks were fighting. Hey you never said it had to be a complete prop, right?'

"I bet you think you're so smart," Chef grunted. "But I don't have time to get into specifics. Winner of immunity is...uh, this guy!"

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Rory-** Okay, moral of this story, putting myself at risk isn't worth it! When will I learn!?

 **Zach-** That's right, I'm not going anywhere!

 **Emily-** I'm just happy to be involved with somebody's win! I mean, technically don't you think I should have gotten the win for that...partial credit at least...but it's fine, it's fine, everything is fine!

* * *

(Later)

Emily ushered together Chloe, Terra, Marky, Mimi, Seth, and Grace and had them all sit under a tree together.

"Alright, allies, let me just say, that it is such a refreshing change of pace to be on the side of good," Emily gushed. "Thank you all so much for including me!"

"Uh, just for the record, you kind of just included yourself," Marky pointed out.

"Fate has a way of working itself out doesn't it?" Emily replied.

"Now listen here," Terra said angrily, "if you think for one second-"

"I completely agree with what you're about to say, Terra," Emily interrupted. "We can't just sit her and celebrate where there's still so much injustice in the world, we need to fight back!"

"Emily, I don't know if-" Chloe tried to say.

"It's okay, I know it can be confusing, sometimes overwhelming, to figure out what's right and wrong," Emily said. "But I've seen the light, and we need to clear out the leeches of our community...like Rory! Isn't that right, Terra?'

"You don't speak for me," Terra scoffed.

"That's so true, Terra, you are an independent individual with your own thoughts, and I just happen to understand those thoughts, like Rory being a spineless follower who will be the ruin of all of us if we don't act fast!" Emily exclaimed. "So here's the plan...we all vote for him tonight!"

"Emily, perhaps you should-" Seth tried to suggest.

"Take a rest after the traumatic day I've had? I really should, but I just had to put my needs second to make sure that all of us were united first and foremost," Emily finished. "Good talk everyone, let's break!"

As Emily left, the rest of the group glanced at each other.

"Well," Marky finally said, "she's uh…"

"Delusional," Terra scoffed.

"So annoying," Chloe finished.

"Enthusiastic," Seth offered.

"Trying it," Mimi threw out.

"...really not pulling off that shade of blue," Grace added.

Meanwhile, Zach, Bailey, and Rory had gathered together.

"Great job, you guys, really proud of you for trying so hard in that challenge!" Bailey exclaimed. "And congratulations Zach!"

"It does feel nice to be safe," Zach remarked.

"Yeah uh...that's probably not a bad feeling," Rory sighed sadly.

"No time to rest though, Princess Kokomo expects us to do what it takes to achieve success!" Bailey exclaimed.

"I don't know if there's much we can do," Zach said. "Just got to touch base with the others, and see if there's any tension we can take advantage of."

"Breaking up friendships isn't exactly Gentle Spring's favorite thing," Bailey sighed. "But if it's to protect her friends, she'll do whatever it takes!"

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Terra-** I need Emily to stop associating with me this instant! You're only as good as the company you keep. I don't care if you donate billions of dollars a year to Children's Hospitals, if I see you on a lunch date Paula Dean, that makes you as good as a racist!

 **Grace-** This is not the first time that Emily has attempted to claim unwarranted friendship. It is my understanding that she is attempting to cut corners and jump steps in the detailed process of becoming friends. This, of course, will not work, as any such relationship would be purely superficial, and therefore, not worth my time.

 **Zach-** I don't have to worry tonight, but there's still a whole lot of game left, and I'd feel better if Bailey and Rory were still here. Are they likely to both get through tonight? I don't know, but I'd be willing to see if it could be possible.

* * *

"We got this, buddy!" Bailey assured Rory.

"Uh er...well, you seem pretty confident," Rory replied. "We haven't even uh...done anything yet."

"I have faith," Bailey promised. "You're a nice, caring, genuine guy...the others are sure to see that and give you another chance!"

"Well uh...I hope so," Rory said.

The two headed back towards the cabin where they saw Emily also moving towards.

"Hiiii guys!" Emily greeted.

"Oh uh...Emily," Rory stammered."Are you going to yell at me again?"

"Ha! This guy, am I right!?" Emily laughed while nudging Bailey. "You're so funny!"

"Heh...okay?" Rory said nervously.

Not far from the meeting, Chloe and Terra were walking back together. Terra made sure to match Chloe's pace and stay at her side.

"Chloe, I'm glad we have this chance to talk," Terra stated.

"Oh uh...yeah, me too," Chloe replied.

"You and I...we're two of a kind," Terra said. "Agents of change! Not afraid to stand by what we believe in, fight for what's right! That's why we have to stick together, because the rest of the world will take advantage of that!"

"Right," Chloe said, "so about Emily…"

"Hate her," Terra scoffed.

"Honestly, same," Chloe replied. "Do you think it's worth using her to just get out Rory first though?'

"Hate him too!" Terra stated. "Hm, that is a conundrum. Can it truly be said who does more damage to the world? The passive coward, hiding under the bed and covering his ears at the first sign of bad news? Or the fairweather friend who who could just as soon align with Elon Musk as she would Vladimir Putin if she thought it would put her on the winning side?"

"That's kind of dramatic," Chloe replied.

"But accurate," Terra said, "And it really comes down to...WHAT the hell is going on here!?"

Terra spotted Emily talking with Rory and Bailey, and quickly marched towards the group.

"Well, well, well, having a little get together, are we!?" Terra accused.

"Terra! So glad you're here!" Emily exclaimed. "I was just minding my own business when this desperate little shrew tried to suck me back down the blackhole! Back away from me, you disgusting parasite!"

"Um uh...that's not...that's not what happened," Rory said.

"Don't try to change the facts on me now!" Emily exclaimed. 'I'm here with my best friend Terra, and she won't tolerate any more of your lies!"

"Is this uh...is this part of the game you two are playing?" Bailey asked. "I'm so confused."

"You stay out of this too!" Emily scoffed. "I won't fall prey to your wiles any longer!"

"This really needs to stop," Terra sighed.

"I couldn't agree more, bestie!" Emily said. "When are you two just going to stop this all! Just stop trying to corrupt my mind! It's not going to happen so just give up already!"

"I honestly have no idea what she's saying," Bailey assured Terra.

"I don't need to take this!" Emily huffed, "Let's get out of here, Terra!"

"You can go, I'll follow behind...way, way behind," Terra said.

As Emily left, Terra backed up to return to Chloe.

"I really don't think I can take another day of her," Terra decided.

"Understandable," Chloe said.

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Terra-** Emily thinks she can just pick up my fight, but with none of the convictions, none of the understandings? If you fire a gun at the air, you're not solving the problem, you're just putting everyone else in danger, and I won't be having that!

 **Bailey-** Emily says that her relationship with Rory was very complex but strong and uh...you know, I'm not so sure if I believe that.

 **Rory-** That uh...didn't really go so well.

* * *

Mimi, Marky, Grace, and Seth remained gathered together around the same tree once the other girls had departed.

"Well guys, I'd say cautious optimism is the way to go here," Marky said. "We should have the numbers on our side."

"Yeah, I'm not too worried," Mimi said. "If Emily wants to flip, go ahead. It's not like Rory's done much good for us."

"Shame, the young acorn may never get the chance to sprout after all," Seth stated.

"Are you saying you're opposed?" Mimi asked.

"It is but the will of nature, who am I to question our great living plan?" Seth replied.

"I think either way we're just splitting hairs here," Marky said. "We have the numbers if we can stick together. Rory isn't winning any challenges. Emily isn't pulling in any friends."

"I would also like to contribute to this conversation and reinforce my included role as a member of the coalition driven to our joint success," Grace said. "However, I have nothing to add."

"Let's meet back before the vote and see where we're at," Mimi proposed.

The group split up and departed on their separate ways. As Mimi left the tree though, she heard some noise from the bushes. She cautiously slowed down and noted a figure crouched among the shrubs.

"AHA!" she exclaimed as she grabbed Zach. "And just what do you think you're doing!?"

"Ow, ow, go easy on me," Zach exclaimed. "I was just passing by, and well, some habits die hard."

"Of course," Mimi said rolling her eyes. :You just can't help yourself, can you?"

"I'm a victim to a pattern," Zach replied melodramatically. "But really, I couldn't help but overhear-"

"Oh you couldn't _help_ but overhear while you were sticking your nose in other people's business," Mimi accused.

"Aah, but there's the thing, it is my business," Zach countered. "After all, we're all in this game together, the results of this elimination could affect all of us. So if you're discussing the decision, you can't blame me for wanting to find out what's happening."

"Don't tell me what I can't do," Mimi huffed. "You should be counting your blessings you're immune tonight."

"Oh I am," Zach replied. "But while I have the chance to be so bold, let me offer you a little advice. You're used to being the center of attention, the star of the show, maybe you need someone who can take a step back and see the fuller picture. That would be me."

"Don't give yourself so much credit," Mimi said.

"You're looking at choosing between Emily and Rory," Zach said. "But if you think Emily is your friend or on your side, you're wrong. She was on my side, promises of loyalty to the end...until suddenly that wasn't looking so hot. She's not in this for anyone but herself."

"Tell me something I don't know," Mimi replied unenthusiastically.

"Well if you're so smart then surely you'd realize that wiping out me and the other two dudes while you leave her in the game isn't going to end well," Zach said. "She'll decide you're the public enemy as soon as things start to fall apart, and if you let her get away with that sort of thing tonight...it's only going to continue. Think about it!"

* * *

 **Confessional:**

 **Zach-** Emily has proven that she has no loyalty to me. She wasted absolutely no time completely jumping ship as soon as we lost the numbers, and I'm not having that. The power may not be in my hands tonight, but if I can help it, I'll definitely do what I can to steer the target onto her above anyone else.

 **Grace-** In a nice change of pace, it would seem as though rather than wondering if I'm going to be losing a friend or meeting my own defeat, the choice is between two others who have not made quite so many efforts to support me. What do I value more? Sudden attempts at a forced relationship, or simple silence?

 **Marky-** Tonight's nice, but the feeling won't last forever, I know that much. So even if the decision may seem minor, I am hoping that the results will help keep things smooth for me a little bit longer.

* * *

(Elimination Ceremony)

The group of ten walked up to the torchlit platform where Chef was waiting.

"Yeah, yeah, get in here you punks! Hurry it up, I've got a can of split pea soup I'd like to get back to!" Chef ordered.

"That sounds so delicious, Chef!" Emily exclaimed.

"It isn't! It's disgusting, but it's all we've got left!" Chef snapped. "Okay, so normally Chris would ask you some questions, huh? So what about this vote!? What's going on!?"

"I think the vote last round has been pretty telling on where people wound up," Chloe said. "There's a new majority now, and it doesn't look to be breaking up tonight."

"So that means those of you who voted Terra last night gotta be sweating it hard, huh?" Chef barked.

"Definitely," Rory sighed. "Bailey, Zach, and I have been sort of left out of the conversation. It sucks, but I get it. I just hope there's still a place for me here."

"Correction though," Zach said, "Emily voted Terra too. She just likes to pretend otherwise and like she can do no wrong."

"Not true! I make no secrets, only apologies!" Emily exclaimed. "It was you who kept me on the wrong path, blinded me to the truth! But I've broken free! I've seen the light! I've chosen to align with justice now! I've been inspired by my good friend Terra, my best friend, I've seen her face every obstacle with nothing but strength, and I just KNOW that she has some choice words for you! Take it away, Terra!"

"Please don't speak to me," Terra grunted.

"That's right, don't even SPEAK to her!" Emily said with a jabbing finger at Zach. "Because you know what, words are just...just words! They're nothing! They're just...they couldn't begin to encompass the negative influence your actions have wrought on all this game!"

"Well...that's Emily for you," Mimi remarked with a slight side eye.

'You got something to say, princess?" Chef said to Mimi.

"I said what I said," Mimi replied. "That's Emily for you. We've all dealt with her, these are just the sorts of scenes we've come to expect."

"Thank you so much, Mimi, I'm truly touched that you feel that!" Emily exclaimed.

"Should we just get this over with?" Marky asked.

"We'll get it over with when I say we're getting it over with!" Chef snapped. "Which is right now, let's go already!"

* * *

(Later)

"Alright, sit tight!" Chef ordered, "And I will read these votes!"

"Uuuuuuuugggggh," the group heard something moan as a shadow approached from the wood.

"ZOMBIE!" Rory cried.

"Guh, Chef!" Chris exclaimed as he stepped up onto the platform. "That coffin was no joke. Real sturdy material, if there was ever a zombie uprising I'd want to rely on that company."

"If there were a zombie uprising it would be a little too late to consider what coffins they're buried in," Chef pointed out.

"Now then, I see we've got an elimination underway, hand me the votes and let's get to it!" Chris exclaimed.

Chris pulled out the first vote and announced, "First up...Rory!"

"Gaah!" Rory sobbed.

"Second…" Chris announced, "...Emily!"

"Totally jealous, misguided, horrible," Emily said with a shake of her head.

"Third vote...Emily!"

"Fourth vote...Emily!"

"Fifth vote..,Emily!"

"Sixth vote...Emily!"

"Seventh vote...Emily!"

"Wow...okay...talk about a slap to the face," Emily gasped.

"Eighth vote...Emily!"

"Okay, Chris, you can stop now, I get it!" Emily huffed as she got up. "I've got not a single friend out here!"

"Ninth vote...Emily!" Chris continued.

"I said I get it!" Emily snapped. "There's a lot of fake people in this game!"

"Tenth vote...and eliminated...Emily!" Chris finished.

"Well what do you think of this: I wasn't friends with any of you! I was faking it the whole time!" Emily exclaimed. "HA! I bet you didn't see that one coming!"

"I'm totally shocked," Zach said dryly.

"I don't know how I'm ever going to recover from this stunning reveal," Marky added in equally dull tones.

"And that's how you perform sarcasm," Grace said.

"Emily...time to go!" Chef said while shoving the girl down into the Pit of Despair.

"The rest of you...final nine! You've passed the threshold to the single digits," Chris said. "Will we see more unanimous votes? Or is this a once in a game occasion? You'll have till next time to figure that out!"

* * *

 **Votes:**

 **Emily-** I am voting for Rory, no longer will you hold back me or anyone else!

 **Terra-** Emily, I am SICK of you besmirching all that I've fought for by trying to cling to me like some desperate little termite. When you get close to the flame, you tend to get burned, so bye bye!

 **Chloe-** Emily, you have been fake since the day I met you and if you thought this was ending any differently, you're more delusional than I thought.

 **Rory-** Emily uh er well...we started out as friends, but now we're not so I'm not really too sorry about this.

 **Bailey-** Gentle Spring respects loyalty, kindness, and patience...and right now, you're not really showing any of those.

 **Zach-** Emily, you're not fooling anyone with this act, if anything it just makes you look worse.

 **Mimi-** I am voting for Emily...not because of anything Zach said, but because it feels like the right move for me!

 **Marky-** Emily, too little, too late. You're a mess and we don't need you around here.

 **Seth-** Emily, sometimes the flowers that give off the most pungent scent need to be removed so that others may grow in peace.

 **Grace-** Emily, I don't have anything dramatic to say here.

* * *

(Conclusion)

"Well, Chef, I think we all learned something today," Chris said.

"Uh, we did?" Chef asked.

"From now on, coffins that open from the inside!" Chris exclaimed. "Oh and I'm sure it was a lovely, exciting episode with you hosting and all that blah blah blah."

"Well I guess next round we'll just see if anyone's going to regret voting out Emily," Chef said.

"Doubt it" Chris remarked. "The real question is who will be the first to make the next big move? You know nothing ever stays quiet for long, and the guns will come out blazing once more! You'll want to be here when it comes to that, so keep watching...Total Drama...Legends vs Nobodies!"


End file.
